Manipur on edge: Govt imposes curfew, bans internet as students' protests turn violent

Imphal, Sept. 10: As student-led agitations continued in various parts of Manipur on Tuesday, the state government suspended internet services across the state as a precautionary measure to prevent further escalation.

The suspension, issued by the Department of Home Affairs in Manipur, will be in effect until 3 pm on September 15. This ban encompasses internet and mobile data services, including lease lines, VSATs, broadband, and VPN services.

The Home Department implemented the order amid an escalating law and order crisis. “There is apprehension that anti-social elements may exploit social media to spread images, hate speech, and inflammatory videos, inciting public unrest with potentially severe repercussions for the law-and-order situation,” the order stated.

This decision follows the state’s declaration of an indefinite curfew in the Imphal East and Imphal West districts due to the prevailing tense situation on Tuesday morning. However, essential services, such as media, electricity, courts, and health services, are exempt from this curfew.

Earlier in the day, intense student protests continued in Manipur, with clashes reported in several areas. In Kakwa, Imphal West, protests turned violent with reports of stone pelting and scuffle between protesters and security forces.

Protesters reportedly used catapults to fire marbles and iron pieces, while security forces formed a perimeter around sensitive areas in Greater Imphal. This prompted security forces to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The situation remains tense with heavy scuffles ongoing as Rapid Action Force personnel are deployed to control the crowd.

Hundreds of students who had camped at Khwairamband women’s market since Monday attempted to march towards the Raj Bhavan along BT Road but were stopped by security forces near the Congress Bhavan.

“The students wanted to approach the Raj Bhavan in large numbers to meet Governor L.P. Archarya and seek responses to their demands made on Monday,” police said, adding that the students were told to leave due to the curfew.

Meanwhile, students from Manipur University and locals staged a protest rally, burning effigies of Home Minister Amit Shah at Canchipur.

They later attempted to head to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat but were stopped at Kakwa. The students, demanding permission to proceed, were told by security forces to return due to the curfew.

Earlier on Monday, the law-and-order situation in the state worsened when thousands of students took to the streets, demanding the transfer of unified command to the state government and the removal of the DGP and the security advisor.

Protesters criticised these officials for their handling of the state’s law and order issues and called for measures to protect the state’s “territorial and administrative integrity.”

Later in the night, hundreds of students from various schools and colleges gathered at Khwairamband women’s market in Imphal, staying overnight to call for action from Manipur Governor. Students, some in uniforms, set up camps at the market with the help of local women and Meira Paibis. The situation remains fluid as the curfew continues and the student protests show no sign of abating.