Manipur government suspends internet, clamps curfew amid agitation

IANS, Imphal, Nov 16, 2024  : Curfew has been clamped in Manipur's Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, and Thoubal districts on Saturday after widespread attacks in different places, including on residences of ministers and MLAs, by mobs following the news of the recovery of the bodies of six missing women and children in violence-hit Jiribam district, officials said. 

A Home Department official said that after the developing law and order situation in a few districts, an indefinite curfew has been promulgated in several districts under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi in an order suspended the mobile internet and data services in seven districts -- Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur -- for two days from Saturday evening.

A huge number of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), other paramilitary forces, and state police personnel have been deployed in all the places where fresh troubles broke out in different places of Manipur Valley districts after the news of the recovery of six bodies in violence-hit Jiribam district, the official said.

He said that the angry mobs attacked the residences of several Ministers and MLAs and other government installations. Security forces, led by senior officials, immediately rushed to all the places and tried to bring the situation under control.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday directed all the security forces to take the necessary steps to restore order and peace. It ordered that strict action be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities.

An MHA statement said that the security scenario in Manipur has remained fragile for the past few days.

"Armed miscreants from both communities in conflict have been indulging in violence leading to unfortunate loss of lives and disruption in public order," the statement said.

It said that the important cases have been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for effective investigation. The public is requested to maintain peace, not believe in rumours, and cooperate with the security forces to maintain law and order in the state, the statement added.

A police official in Imphal said that the three bodies were found near the Jiri River late on Friday evening and three more bodies were found on Saturday in the same area. Though the bodies were not yet identified by the family members, these are believed to be of the six women and children missing since November 11 in Jiribam district.

The bodies, found on Friday and Saturday, were brought to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations.

An elderly woman, her two daughters, and three minor grandchildren were among the 10 people - all Meiteis - missing since the violence in Jiribam’s Borobekra, in which 10 “Kuki militants” were killed in a fierce encounter with the CRPF.

All the 10 civilians, including women and children, had been living in a relief camp set up near the Borobekra police station after violence gripped the Jiribam district since June.

Many organisations, including Meitei-dominated groups, have been claiming that these people were kidnapped by the armed militants, who had attacked the Central Reserve Police Force camp on Monday morning.

Soon after the attack, the CPRF retaliated and 10 ‘militants’ were gunned down in the encounter on the spot. All tribal organisations in Manipur including the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), Kuki-Zo Council, and Hmar Students' Association have been claiming that all 10 are "Hmar Village Volunteers".

A police official earlier said that during the search operations after the fierce encounter in Jakuradhor village, where several houses were also burnt down by the armed militants, two bodies of elderly civilians -- Maibam Kesho Singh, 75, and Laishram Barel, 61 -- were found. He said that another person was found alive and rescued and another civilian came back on his own to the police station while the three children and three women remained untraced.

Chief Minister N. Biren Singh held an urgent meeting with senior ministers late on Friday night to discuss the situation after the news of the recovery of the three bodies.

A Manipur government statement on Saturday said that the state cabinet expressed shock at the killing of innocent Hmar and Meitei civilians and condemned the cowardly acts in the strongest terms.

"Cabinet agreed to recommend to the Centre for declaring the organisations, responsible for carrying out the inhumane crimes as unlawful organisations, along with their associated organisations. Cabinet further resolved to take strongest action against the individual perpetrators of these crimes as per law," it said.

The statement said that the efforts of the stakeholders, including civil society organisations, community organisations, and Central organisations, who have been painstakingly working for the peace process despite all odds, and also appealed to all sections of society in the state, irrespective of community affiliations, to support the peace process for bringing an early resolution of the ethnic crisis.