Night curfew in Manipur district after violence

Imphal, April 29

The situation in violence-hit Churachandpur in Manipur remained “grim”, with unidentified miscreants setting fire to a Forest Department building, even as night curfew was imposed in the district from Saturday, officials said.

A group of people torched the office of the Range Forest Officer in Tuibong around midnight and several fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames, the officials said.

Public property worth lakhs was reportedly destroyed and official documents burnt in the blaze, a police officer said. Local tribals have been agitating for the last few months against a drive to evict villagers from reserve forest areas.

Night curfew has been imposed in the district from 5 pm to 5 am from Saturday until further orders, according to an official notification.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC and suspension of mobile internet services will also continue in the district, the officials said.

The violence erupted on Friday following a protest call against the eviction of Kuki villagers from protected forests, which paralysed normal life in the tribal-dominated southern Manipur district.