Guwahati: Tension in the strife-torn Manipur escalated on Thursday, following the arrest of five youths on Saturday. The arrests led to widespread protests in several districts of the state. The protesters demanded the unconditional release of the youths. Intensifying the stir, women in large numbers stormed several police stations in Imphal East and Imphal West districts.
Police had to resort to firing tear gas shells to disperse the protestors, which resulted in the injury of at least nine people. A journalist, covering the incident, was also injured. To prevent the recurrence of any untoward incident, district magistrates clamped a total curfew in both districts under Section 144 of the CrPC.
Earlier, a 48-hour shutdown was enforced in the state since Monday midnight by locals, paralyzing life in the valley districts of the violence-hit state.
Earlier in the week, Additional Secretary, Home, M Pradip Singh, said that the five detainees were arrested by the police and weapons looted from the police armouries were seized from them. They were impersonating special police commandos, Singh said. One of the youths was slapped with charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Protesters on Thursday, the women accused the N Biren Singh government of turning a blind eye when armed miscreants, wielding sophisticated weapons, attacked the villages in the ongoing ethnic conflict. They also alleged government apathy to "open extortion" along highways.
Earlier this month, Manipur Inspector General of Police (Operations) IK Muivah said that the unprecedented violence that has rocked the state since May 3 has claimed the lives of at least 175 people. As many as 1,108 people were injured and 32 were reported to be missing, he said.
On the other hand, a total of 5,172 cases of arson were reported in the four-month-long ethnic clashes, in which, as many as 4,786 houses were set ablaze and 386 religious structures were either destroyed or vandalised.