Amid rising tensions in Manipur, protesters stormed into the residences of two ministers and three MLAs in Imphal on Saturday. Protests erupted in Manipur after the bodies of three missing persons were recovered.
The mob attacks on legislators' houses made the Imphal West administration impose prohibitory orders in the district for an indefinite period.
Manipur: Women from Lamlai village and Chalou village staged a sit-in protest in Imphal East against the violence and tension in the state after the kidnapping of 6 individuals and the bodies of 3 were found (not clear yet if they belong to the abductees) pic.twitter.com/KO3Z8cx4XX
— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2024
According to an order issued by Imphal West District Magistrate, the curfew was imposed from 4.30 pm on Saturday.
Mob stormed into the residence of Health and Family Welfare Minister Sapam Ranjan in the Lamphel Sanakeithel area and the house of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister L. Susindro Singh.
According to Lamphel Sanakeithel Development Authority's representative David, Sapam assured that the issues related to the killing would be taken up in the cabinet meeting.
"Sapam assured us that the issues related to the killing of the three persons will be discussed at a cabinet meeting and the minister will tender his resignation if the government fails to honour the sentiment of the public," David told reporters.
Protesters also gathered in front of the residence of BJP legislator R.K. Imo, son-in-law of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
Slogans demanding justice for those killed were raised by the agitators. The protesters demanded the authorities to "arrest the culprits within 24 hours".
Protesters, who had come to meet Keishamthong constituency's independent legislator Sapam Nishikanta Singh at his residence at Tiddim Road, targeted the office building of a local newspaper owned by him after they were told that the legislator was not present in the state, a senior officer said.
The mob destroyed some temporary structures in front of the office building.
Three bodies, suspected to be of six missing people from the Jiribam district, were recovered from the Jiri and Barak rivers along the Manipur-Assam border on Friday night.
A curfew was imposed in Imphal West and Imphal East in violence-hit Manipur and internet services were suspended in seven districts including Thoubal, Kakching and Churachandpur districts for two days.
