Manipur: Mobile internet ban extended again till Nov 8

Imphal, Nov 6: The Manipur government on Sunday again extended the suspension of mobile data Internet services until November 8, 2023, “as preventive measures in public interest,” according to an order issued by the Commissioner (Home) of the Government of Manipur.

There are high chances that some anti-social elements might use social media extensively for the transmission of images, hate speech and hate video messages inciting the passions of the public which might have serious repercussions for the law and order situation in the state of Manipur, the order issued in Imphal on Sunday said.

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under Rule 2 of Temporary Suspension of Telecom services (public emergency or public safety) Rules, 2017, having satisfied that the above situation is likely to cause serious disturbances to the peaceful co-existence and maintenance of public order suspension/curbing of mobile internet/data services, internet/data services through VPN in the territorial jurisdiction of the state of Manipur for another 3(three)days with immediate effect from the time this suspension order becomes operational till 07:45 pm of 8-11-2023, the one-paged Home Department order added.

In the meanwhile, the state government will go for the opening of mobile towers on a trial basis in those district headquarters which had not been affected by violence due to the current law and order crisis in the state and the same, if found feasible, shall be replicated to other areas where the law and order situation have improved, it stated.

The Manipur government had suspended mobile data services in some districts of the state on May 3 following ethnic violence—a day later all internet services had been shut across the state and it has continued since.

Manipur had been witnessing ethnic violence in the first week of May, in which 175 persons were killed,1,108 others injured and nearly 50,000 people were displaced besides burning a number of villages and localities.