India imposes curfew, suspends internet in Manipur state over communal violence

September 10 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Indian authorities on Tuesday imposed a curfew in the Imphal Valley and surrounding districts and suspended internet services in the northeastern state of Manipur in an attempt to quell fierce protests in the area over ongoing communal conflicts.

Universities in the state bordering Myanmar will also remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday, following an order issued by the government, which already suspended the Internet last year for similar reasons.

Clashes, mainly between the Meitei and the Kuki, resumed on September 1 and have involved the use of drones to launch explosive devices, prompting security forces to use tear gas.

Police, who are investigating several attacks, suspect that Kuki militants – a minority in Manipur – used the drones, a claim denied by Kuki groups.

Hundreds of Meitei students took to the streets on Monday to protest against the drone attacks and to demand a change in the leadership of the state’s “unified command” in charge of overseeing security, Indian media reported. That same day, security forces warned of the presence of a mob that “snatched weapons and fired” at officers. They said they were using “the minimum force required as a preventive measure to control the crowd.”

An estimated 45 people have been injured so far in the latest wave of an inter-community conflict that has left 225 dead and 60,000 displaced since 2023.