Manipur continues to be on the boil as a group of protestors on Sunday burnt and damaged over 20 vehicles, carrying mostly Naga people from Imphal to Ukhrul even as the authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in Imphal East district and blocked mobile internet services in Imphal West and Imphal East districts to stop ‘rumours’, fuelling further unrest.
District administration officials said that the problem started on Sunday when a group of people attacked vehicles of a convoy, which was carrying some of the stranded people in Imphal to Ukhrul. The angry mob defied the security escort and first vandalised vehicles and then set some of them on fire leading to panic and tension.
“A convoy of 10 buses and over 30 small vehicles carrying over 300 people were on its way from Imphal to Ukhrul along with a police escourt. However, the irate mob—seemingly angry over the United Naga Council sponsored highway blockade since November 1—attacked the convoy at lamlong,” he said adding while 18 vehicles have been damaged, the irate mob also set on fire three buses.
“The commandos and security personnel of 1st Manipur Rifles battalion escorted the people in the vehicles to a community hall immediately for safety. The people were later shifted to the headquarters of the battalion fearing further attack by the mob,” he said.
The senior police officials said that indefinite curfew have been imposed in the whole of Imphal East district from Sunday afternoon to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate. “The Government has sent additional forces to help the existing forces to contain the situation,” he said.
It may be mentioned here that the Manipur Cabinet on Saturday decided to ban Internet services in Imphal West district. The Cabinet decision was taken as ‘rumours’ were seen being circulated through social networking sites in the wake of a series of violent incidents, including a triple blasts on Friday evening and the attack on Manipur’s biggest church in Imphal on Saturday.
The tiny hill State in northeast has been reeling under problems since last one month after the United Naga Council (UNC) called for a blockade of National Highway 2 and National Highway 53 that serves as the lifeline of the State. The Naga group called the blockade to protest against the ruling Congress Government’s recent decision to create seven new districts—Kangpokpi, Jiribam, Noney, Kamjong, Pherzawl, Tengnoupal and Kakching—by bifurcating the exitsting nine districts.
The decision has enraged the Nagas, particularly over the elevation of sub-divisions, Sadar Hills and Jiribam, to full-fledged districts. The Nagas claim the Sadar Hills as the ‘ancestral homeland’ of the Nagas where ‘migrant’ Kukis are now in majority. The Naga organisations also accuse the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of trying to appeasing the Kukis by upgrading the Sadar Hills to a district.
Similarly, the Nagas are also anguished over the Government’s decision to upgrade Jiribam to a district as it will be created by bifurcating Naga-dominated Tamenglong district.