Fresh violence erupted in Manipur’s Imphal after the arrest of at least five leaders of Arambai Tenggol (AT), an armed Meitei radical group, on Saturday.
The situation remained tense on Sunday with the administration imposing prohibitory orders and suspending internet services in five Imphal valley districts, police said.
Orders were imposed in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching districts, with internet and mobile data services, including VSAT and VPN facilities, suspended in these valley areas.
The security forces have arrested the five AT leaders, including A. Kanan Singh, a former head constable of the Manipur Police.
Officials said large groups of people spilt out onto the streets throughout the night, burning tyres and old furniture to block the roads. At many places, mobs clashed with the security personnel, including stretches on the Airport Road where some vehicles of the security forces were torched.
Major incidents of violence were reported from Imphal’s Kwakeithel and Uripok areas. Scores of people, including security personnel, were injured.
Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the protesters in front of Kangla Gate, nearly 200 metres away from the Raj Bhavan here.
Security has been strengthened along the roads leading to the Raj Bhavan with additional deployment of central forces.
In view of the protests in the restive northeastern state, an order issued by the district magistrate of Imphal West stated that the “superintendent of police in Imphal West… has reported serious breach to peace, disturbance to public tranquillity, riot or affray in the area, and grave danger to human lives and properties due to unlawful activities of anti-social elements.”
The district administration banned the assembly of five or more people and the carrying of sticks, stones, firearms, or sharp weapons under sub-section 2 of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Similar preventive measures were clamped in Thoubal and Kakching districts, the police said.
More than 250 people have been killed and at least 60,000 displaced in Manipur’s ethnic violence. The State was placed under the President’s Rule on February 13, days after Nongthombam Biren Singh resigned as the Chief Minister.
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