Manipur: Mob targets CM’s ancestral home as violent protests reach Imphal
Hours after the bodies of all six missing persons were recovered from a Manipur river, protestors attacked the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs on Saturday.
However, in response, the government imposed indefinite prohibitory orders in five districts and suspended internet services in parts of the state.
Protesters ransacked the homes of three out of six legislators, including the residence of chief minister N Biren Singh’s son-in-law, and set properties on fire. Security forces responded by firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowds in various parts of Imphal, police said.
Here are the details so far about the fresh violence
The bodies of two women and a child, missing since Monday from a displaced persons’ camp, were recovered from the Barak River in Jiribam on Saturday. Three other bodies, including a woman and two children, were found on Friday night. In total, six bodies, including those of three children, were recovered from Manipur’s Jiribam district and sent to Silchar Medical College Hospital (SMCH) in Assam for post-mortem examinations.
Protesters stormed the residences of ministers Sapam Ranjan, L Susindro Singh, and Y Khemchand, an official said. In response, a curfew was imposed indefinitely in Imphal East and West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, and Kakching districts of Imphal valley “due to the developing law and order situation,” the official added.
Chief secretary Vineet Joshi ordered the temporary suspension of internet and mobile data services in the affected districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur for two days, starting from 5.15 pm on Saturday.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body representing civil society organisations of Imphal valley, demanded military action against militants within 24 hours.
A mob also attempted to storm the personal residence of chief minister N Biren Singh on Saturday evening, triggering a major escalation between security forces and the protesters.
At night, miscreants set fire to at least two churches and three houses in Jiribam town, officials said. There have also been reports of further arson and the burning of additional structures, though these claims have not yet been independently verified, officials told PTI.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Saturday called the recent violent clashes and ongoing bloodshed in Manipur “deeply disturbing.” He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the state and take steps to restore peace in the region.
Mizoram’s apex student body, Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) has urged the Centre to ensure the safety and security of Mizo students in violence-hit Manipur. The MZP expressed concern over the growing tensions in Manipur, especially following the killing of 10 tribal people.
The Manipur government has requested the Centre to review and withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), a controversial law that grants sweeping powers to the armed forces. The law was reimposed in the limits of six police stations in the state.
At least 250 people have died and 60,000 have been displaced in Manipur since May last year due to inter-communal clashes over government grants and quotas in jobs and education.