Curfew relaxed in Churachandpur, toll in violence climbs to 8

Imphal, September 3

Curfew was on Thursday partially relaxed in violence-hit Churachandpur district even as one more person injured in the police firing last week succumbed to injuries.

With today's casualty, so far eight persons have died in the violence in Manipur, a state government official said.

Earlier, the official said the death of a motorcyclist in a road accident had been included in the list of those killed in the violence.

The motorcyclist had skidded on the road in Churachandpur town while trying to avoid boulders strewn on the road by the agitators and had sustained head injuries on August 31. He was rushed to a private hospital where he succumbed to injuries, the official said.

An official at the Deputy Commissioner's office said today that curfew has been relaxed in violence-hit Churachandpur town from 5 am to 1 pm to enable the public to buy essentials.

A public meeting was held today at Churachadpur public ground by the Joint Action Committee amidst tight security, the police official said.

Central paramilitary forces like Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF have been deployed, the official said, adding the services of central forces posted in Manipur would be requisitioned if required.

The Zonal Education Office (ZEO) was burnt down by the agitators yesterday.

Violence, which broke out in Churachandpur on Monday, had spread to other districts of the state resulting in gutting of six houses belonging to a Cabinet minister of Manipur, a Lok Sabha MP, the chairman of Hill Areas Committee of Manipur assembly and other four MLAs.

The violence has been triggered by passage of three bills -- Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh amendment) Bill, 2015 and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015.

Tribals fear these legislations would allow "outsiders" to have rights over tribal land and not protect the indigenous people.

The government yesterday clarified that the bills do not infringe on the existing rights of the tribal community settled in the state and also do not impinge on the provision of Article 371C and the presidential order of 1972 which provides for scheduled areas and matters as also the Manipur State Hill People Regulation, 1947.

The JAC comprising leaders of communities living in Churachandpur has decided not to claim the bodies of those killed in the agitation till their demand for withdrawal of the three bills was met by the government, JAC sources said. —PTI