Manipur government banned mobile internet for five days to prevent spreading of fake and concocted posts, photos, and videos….reports Asian Lite News
Defying the curfew, over a thousand students staged protests in Imphal for the second day on Tuesday even as security forces lobbed tear gas shells and fired in the air to disperse the protesters, while the Manipur government banned mobile internet for five days to prevent spreading of fake and concocted posts, photos, and videos.
The students, who staged a demonstration in front of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and Raj Bhavan on Monday to protest the rising violence in the state, remained gathered overnight in the all-women Ima Market (also known as the Nupi Keithel) and locked themselves on its first floor as the market remained closed on Tuesday due to the reimposition of the curfew.
Rejecting the persuasion of the senior police officers to return to their homes, the agitated students on Tuesday organised protests in front of the Manipur University even as the security personnel, deployed in large numbers, tried to disperse them.
Tension prevailed in Imphal city and adjoining areas, due to the protests and the security forces’ response.
Authorities earlier on Tuesday reimposed curfew in three districts — Imphal East, Imphal West and Thoubal — after apprehending fresh trouble in the capital city and the adjoining areas.
A senior Home Department official said that due to the developing law and order situation in the three districts, the curfew was reimposed from 11 a.m. and the security forces have further tightened the vigil and searches. Search operations are going on in different places to locate any kind of inimical object or attempt or to find out any troublemakers.
“We urge all concerned people to maintain peace and refrain from any troubles or violation of law and order. We already asked the people not to heed any unfounded social media posts, photos and videos. Strict action would be taken against those who violate the law and disturb the peace and ethnic harmony,” the official told the media.
Imposing the mobile internet ban for five days till September 15, Joint Secretary, Home, Mayengbam Veto Singh, in his order, said that to thwart the design and activities of anti-national and anti-social elements and to maintain peace and communal harmony and to prevent any loss of life or danger to public/private property, it has become necessary to take adequate measures to maintain law and order in public interest, by stopping the spread of disinformation and false rumours, through various social media platforms.
“…..temporary suspension imposed curbing of internet and mobile data services including Lease Lines, VSATs, Broadbands and VPN services in the territorial jurisdiction of the state of Manipur for five days with effect from 3 p.m. of September 10 till 3 p.m. of September 15 subject to confirmation by the competent authority within 24 hours except for those cases whereby state government has exempted and allowed for whitelisting,” the order read.
Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya expressed his deep concern in the wake of the sudden spurt of violence.
The Governor, in a statement, said that violence is not the solution to any problem, and everyone will have to contribute and find ways to overcome this problem.
“In his bid to restore peace and normalcy with the help of the public, the Governor is constantly speaking to public leaders, students and the people in general. Moreover, dedicated efforts are being made for establishing peace by the security agencies. In view of the present situation, the Governor has appealed to all sections of the society, student organisations and public leaders to work together to establish peace and help Manipur to scale a new height of growth and development,” a Raj Bhavan statement said.
The students from various schools and colleges staged demonstrations on Monday to protest against the rising violence, protect territorial integrity, and demand the handing over of the Unified Command to the state government to deal with the militant outfits and armed cadres.
Wearing their school and college uniforms, the protesters were heard raising slogans like “Long Live Manipur”, “Resign all incompetent MLAs”, and “Give Unified Command charge to the state government”. They also expressed their anger against the administration and various authorities for “inept handling of the situation of the state”.
The student leaders also on Monday separately met Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and urged him to take steps for the immediate restoration of peace and normalcy. They also demanded the withdrawal of additional Central forces deployed to manage the ongoing ethnic violence, citing their “failure to restore peace despite the conflict persisting for over a year and a half”.
Their anger was directed at both the Central and state governments, holding them responsible for failing to resolve the ethnic crisis of the state.
Since September 1, the violence escalated in the trouble-torn state, leaving at least 12 people, including two women, elderly persons and a retired soldier, dead and injuring over 20 people, by suspected militants and armed cadres in different districts. Of the 12 deaths, six people alone were killed in Jiribam district, adjoining southern Assam.
Combined security forces comprising Assam Rifles, Central Armed Police Forces and Manipur Police commandos, also intensified their counter-insurgency operations across the state to nab the militants and recover arms and ammunition.
Two more CRPF battalions rush to Manipur
Amid escalating violence and students’ protests in Manipur, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to provide two battalions of CRPF (around 2,000 personnel) to deal with the prevailing situation in the strife-torn northeastern state, officials said on Tuesday night.
A senior police officer said that the two battalions of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will come to Manipur from Telangana and Jharkhand and will deployed in the tribal-dominated areas of the state, including Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts.
According to the police, Manipur already has over 60,000 personnel from the Army, Assam Rifles, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), including CRPF and the Border Security Force (BSF).
Sources said that two Assam Rifles battalions were withdrawn from Manipur for operational duties in Jammu and Kashmir and some other parts of the northeast. On Monday, thousands of tribals belonging to the Kuki-Zo community came out on the streets in Kangpokpi district protesting the reported removal of the two Assam Rifles battalions from Kangpokpi and Churachandpur.
A Manipur police officer told the media on Tuesday that the investigation into the bombings using drones would be handed over to the central investigating agencies, adding that the police are collecting various pieces of evidence in connection with the case.
“We have already recovered the bomb fragments which have been sent to the forensic lab for testing to find out the chemicals used in them,” he said.
The Manipur Police also appealed to the students to protest peacefully and democratically, warning them about the false information being spread on social media.
“Some vested interest groups are instigating violence on social media. We are closely monitoring the social media posts and action would be taken as per law. False, concocted and pre-planned messages and fake videos posted on social media creates panic and confusion, leading to deteriorating law and order situation,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Operations), I.K. Muivah, has strongly denied a retired security official’s reported comments that “there is no Manipur Police but only Meitei Police or Kuki Police”.
Briefing the media, Muivah said, “It was an immature statement by the retired security official. Manipur Police comprises people from different communities, including Nagas, Meiteis, Manipuri Muslims, and non-Manipuris. There are also Christians, Muslims, and Hindus in the force.”
Meanwhile, the Manipur government on Tuesday suspended mobile internet services in five districts and closed educational institutions till September 12 in view of the students’ protests triggered by escalating violence in different districts of the state.
Defying the curfew, over a thousand students staged protests in Imphal for the second day on Tuesday even as security forces lobbed teargas shells and fired in the air to disperse them.
A Manipur Police statement said that in the follow-up action during the students’ protests, several people including police personnel sustained minor injuries and are undergoing treatment at various hospitals.
A Raj Bhavan statement said that representatives of students met Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Tuesday evening and submitted a memorandum.
The student leaders urged the Governor for taking up appropriate steps for fulfilling their demands, which included restoring peace and normalcy, curbing militant activities, and protecting the territorial integrity of Manipur.
“While giving a patient hearing to the students, the Governor said they are the future of our nation. He assured them of taking steps in the best interest of the students and the people of Manipur,” the statement said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the authorities reimposed curfew in three districts — Imphal East, Imphal West and Thoubal — apprehending fresh trouble in the capital city and its adjoining areas.
Recently, Manipur BJP legislator Rajkumar Imo Singh, who is the son-in-law of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, said in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the presence of around 60,000 central forces personnel in Manipur is not yielding peace, thus it’s better to remove such forces who are mostly present as “mute spectators”.
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