Violence continued in Manipur's Churachandpur as unidentified miscreants set fire to a government building on Friday and clashed with authorities.
Churachandpur has been in the grips of violence since Thursday when a mob attacked the venue where Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh was scheduled to attend an event and set it on fire. This was followed by clashes between protesters and police on Friday in which the police resorted to tear-gas shells.
Following the latest round of violence on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, a night curfew has been imposed in Churachandpur which woulc come into effect from Saturday night. The situation in Churachandpur remained "grim", said officials.
The latest developments
A group of people torched the office building of the Range Forest Officer in Tuibong area around midnight and several fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames, said officials.
Public property worth lakhs were reportedly destroyed and official documents burnt in the blaze, a police officer said.
Fresh clashes had erupted between demonstrators and police personnel in Churachandpur town on Friday night, with the security forces using batons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob.
Locals claimed that some people were killed and many injured in the police action, hours after a bandh called by Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) concluded at 4 pm. However, there was no official confirmation on casualties or injuries to people.
The eight-hour shutdown, called to protest against the eviction of Kuki villagers from protected forests, paralysed normal life in the tribal-dominated southern Manipur district.
"The situation is still grim. Security has been bolstered at all major junctions and large localities of the town to prevent any untoward incident," the police officer said.
Night curfew has been imposed in the district from 5 pm to 5 am from Saturday until further orders, according to an official notification.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC and suspension of mobile internet services will also continue in the district, the officials said.
What led to the violence?
Following Thursday's vandalism and arson, CM Singh had indicated postponed his plans to visit Churachandpur at the request of the organisers following protests and a 8-hour bandh called by local tribals protesting eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest areas.
The venue was Sadbhavna Mandap in Manipur’s New Lamka Town in Churachandpur district. A protesting mob attacked it on Thursday and set fire to about a 100 chairs and other equipment.
Singh was scheduled to address a public meeting at Sadbhavna Mandap and inaugurate an open gym at PT Sports complex, both in New Lamka town.
Earlier on Friday, clashes broke out between protestors and police at Sadbhavna Mandap in New Lamka in Churachandpur.
(With PTI inputs)
