- Latest violence triggered after the arrest of Meitei group members.
- Incensed mob storms the police’s posts, set fire to the bus and block roads.
- Police are announcing curfews in 5 districts, including Imphal West.
Imphal: An Indian state bred by ethnic tensions introduced an internet closure and curfew after protesters collided with security forces over the arrest of some members of a radical group, police said Sunday.
Manipur in the northeast of India has been shaken by periodic clashes for more than two years between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community that has killed more than 250 people.
The latest violence was triggered on Saturday following reports of the arrest of five members, including a commander, by Arambai Tenggol, a Radical Meitei group.
Incensed mob that required their release to storm a police oil, set fire to a bus and block roads in parts of the state capital Imphal.
The Manipur Police announced a curfew in five districts, including Imphal West and Bishnupur, due to “development legislation and order situation”.
“A ban has been issued issued by district magistrates. Citizens are requested to cooperate with the orders,” police said in a statement.
Arambai Tenggol, alleged to have orchestrated the violence against the Kuki community, has also announced a 10-day shutdown in the Valley districts.
The state’s homemade ministry has ordered all Internet and mobile data services in fleeting districts to be closed for five days to bring the latest unrest under control.
Internet services were closed for months in Manipur during the initial outbreak of violence in 2023, which displaced about 60,000 people from their homes according to government figures.
Thousands of state residents are still unable to return home due to continuous tension.
Long-term tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities are about competition for land and public jobs.
Rights activists have accused local leaders of aggravating ethnic divisions for political gain.
