Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped while mobile internet services suspended for five days in Manipur’s Churachandpur district where a mob on Thursday night set ablaze the venue of Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s scheduled programme. He was scheduled to have inaugurated a gym and sports facility on Friday. It was not clear if he would now visit the place. The authorities beefed up security as the situation remained tense. The hill district of Churachandpur is 63 km away from the state capital Imphal. The mobile internet services have been suspended also in Pherzawl, an adjoining district of Churachandpur."Having satisfied that the situation is likely to cause serious disturbances to the entire peaceful co-existence of the communities and maintenance of public order, (I) do hereby order suspension/curbing of mobile data services in the territorial jurisdiction of Churachandpur and Pherzawl district,” the state’s Home Commissioner H Gyan Prakash said in an order.
The incident of arson took place just hours after the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) had called for a total shutdown in Churachandpur on Friday from 8 am to 4 pm in protest against the alleged “unlawful activities” of the state government.“ The ITLF submitted several memoranda to the Government of Manipur to voice our grievances and apprehensions (about the survey carried out by the government) pertaining to reserved forests/protected forests/wetlands/wildlife and the eviction of villages. It pained our sentiments that the government demolished churches and has absolutely no consideration and respect for something which is deeply sacred to those of us following the Christian faith,” the ITLF said in a press release. It lamented that the government showed no signs of willingness or sincerity to address the plight of the people. “So, in light of the situation, the ITLF has heeded the cry of the people and to show our dejection and dissatisfaction with the unlawful activities of the Government of Manipur, the ITLF is compelled to resort to non-cooperation of all government-related programmes and calls for a total shutdown in the district…,” the release said.