Security personnel fire tear gas shells to disperse protesters during a curfew in Imphal on September 10, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Three district administrations in Manipur’s Imphal Valley withdrew a partial curfew relaxation on Friday (September 13, 2024) following a large gathering of women outside a police station to protest the critical injury suffered by a pregnant woman during the students’ unrest on Tuesday (September 10, 2024) .
The curfew in the Imphal East, Imphal West, and Bishnupur districts had been relaxed for 11 hours on Saturday (September 13, 2024). The district authorities’ order then imposed a total curfew indefinitely due to a “developing law and order situation”. There was no such order issued in the Thoubal and Kakching districts.
‘Stillborn baby’
Parts of the State capital became tense on Saturday (September 14, 2024) afternoon after scores of women attempted to storm the Singjamei police station in the Imphal West district to protest the injury to the woman who they claimed delivered a stillborn baby as a result. The condition of the woman, undergoing treatment at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, is said to be critical.
While the protestors accused the police of murdering the baby, senior police officials pleaded with them to not violate the curfew orders and to return to their homes.
Renewed violence
During the relaxation of the curfew, thousands of people rushed to the markets to buy vegetables, food, and other necessities, and to the banks and other offices to perform essential tasks.
Manipur has seen a series of violent incidents since September 1 that left at least 12 people dead across the Imphal Valley and Jiribam, and scores injured. More than 230 people have died and some 60,000 displaced since ethnic violence broke out in the State on May 3, 2023.
Published – September 14, 2024 10:10 pm IST