Manipur suspends mobile net for five days, cites tense communal situation

In the first incident, a vehicle was set ablaze at Phougakchao Ikhai Awang Leikai in Bishnupur district. In retaliation, members of the rival group torched a vehicle in Churachandpur district, police said.

Protesting students and police personnel at the site of agitation in Imphal, Manipur, Saturday. (Express Photo)

THE Manipur government has suspended mobile Internet services for five days in the entire state citing tense communal situation and possibilities of law and order problems, after two vehicles were torched by miscreants in separate incidents Saturday evening.

In the first incident, a vehicle was set ablaze at Phougakchao Ikhai Awang Leikai in Bishnupur district. In retaliation, members of the rival group torched a vehicle in Churachandpur district, police said.

Also Read | Manipur: 30 tribal students, 2 policemen injured in clash in Imphal

After a video of one of the incidents went viral on social media, the state issued the order suspending mobile Internet services for five days.

The district administrations of Churachandpur and Bishnupur also imposed prohibitory orders under the CrPC for two months.

H Gyan Prakash, Special Secretary, Home, said in the order that mobile Internet services were being suspended to prevent any disturbance to peace and public order in Manipur. The order said there was an imminent danger of loss of life or damage to public and private property, and of widespread disturbances to public tranquillity and communal harm, as a result of inflammatory material and false rumours.

“The social media has also become a handy tool for rumour mongers and is being used to incite the general public, which might have serious repercussions for the law-and-order situation in the state,” the order said.

Manipur has been seeing protests by tribal student bodies demanding the release of leaders of the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM), apex body of tribal students in state. On Saturday, 30 tribal student protesters and two police personnel were injured in a confrontation in Imphal.

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Five ATSUM leaders had been arrested following imposition of a total shutdown and economic blockade in the hill districts of Manipur by the tribal body, after state government failed to table the Autonomous District Councils Amendment Bill, 2021, in the Budget Session of the Assembly.