IMPHAL, March 16 - The Manipur government today ordered shutdown of mobile internet/data services in the state for three days.
The move of the state government was related with a series of violent incidents between two neighbouring villages of two different communities in Kamjong district (earlier Kamjong was under Ukhrul district) of the state. Arson-related incidents were reported from the trouble-hit area since Monday morning. A good number of houses were also damaged by the arsonists.
The incident happened some 120 kms east of Imphal.
As tension was running high among the villagers of the two neighbouring villages, a ministerial team led by Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar had also rushed to the violence-ridden villages in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, the district administration of Kamjong has also clamped curfew, prohibiting movement of people out of their houses in the violence-ridden area. The district magistrate promulgated prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC in the area where tension among the villagers was running high. The order prohibits assembly of five or more persons, carrying of lethal weapons such as sticks, stones and firearms, besides prohibiting movement of people out of their houses.
Tension between the two villages in the district erupted on Sunday, according to sources, for some reasons which are still not clear.
As the situation was highly charged, an order of the Special Secretary (Home) H Gyan Prakash shut down the mobile internet.
Meanwhile, the state government of Manipur has constituted a committee to investigate into the incident. Till then, nothing is clear as to why the problem cropped up.
