Manipur
\nAuthorities have imposed a curfew and shut down the internet in parts of the troubled north-eastern Indian state of Manipur after protests erupted over the arrest of leaders from an ethnic group.
\nOn Sunday, police arrested five leaders of Arambai Tenggol, an armed Meitei radical group, including their chief Asem Kanan Singh.
\nIndia\u2019s top investigation agency said Singh was arrested at Manipur\u2019s Imphal airport for his involvement in \u201cvarious criminal activities\u201d related to the violence that broke out in the state in 2023.
\nManipur has been rocked by periodic violence since 2023 after ethnic clashes between the two largest groups, the majority Meitei and minority Kuki, over land and influence.
\nMore than 250 people have been killed in the conflict, with tens of thousands displaced.
\nArambai Tenggol identifies itself as a social outfit and wields considerable influence in the state, enjoying support from the Meitei community.
\nThe latest round of tensions began on 7 June, when India\u2019s top investigation agency arrested Singh and four other leaders of Arambai Tenggol, following which he was taken to Guwahati city in the neighbouring state of Assam.
\nThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating cases related to violence in Manipur, said that the trial for these had been shifted from Manipur to Guwahati in Assam \u201cin view of the law and order situation in Manipur\u201d.
\nAfter the arrests, protesters demanding the release of members of Arambai Tenggol stormed a police post, set fire to a bus and blocked roads in parts of Imphal.
\nSome protesters also clashed with security personnel, The Hindu newspaper reported.
\nA 13-year-old boy was injured after security forces fired tear gas shells and live rounds to disperse crowds, The Hindustan Times reported.
\nState lawmaker Okram Surjakumar said the arrests had thrown the state into chaos.
\nFollowing the violence, the state government suspended internet and mobile data services in five districts of the state for five days and imposed an indefinite curfew in one. Gatherings of four or more people has also been prohibited in the some parts.
\nArambai Tenggol has also declared a 10-day shutdown in parts of the state since Saturday night.
\nPriyanka Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, on Sunday questioned why the government was unable to bring to peace to the conflict-hit state.
\nEarlier this year, the Indian government brought the state under direct federal rule after the chief minister resigned following criticism from opposition groups.
\nGandhi blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he had not met representatives from the state or made any efforts for peace.
\n\u201cIt is the prime minister\u2019s responsibility to ensure peace and security for the citizens of the country. To step back from this is to turn away from one\u2019s duty,\u201d she wrote in a post on X.
\nThe ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been sharply criticised by opposition leaders and rights groups for its handling of the conflict. Opposition leaders have also criticised Modi for not visiting the state since the violence first began in 2023.
\nOn Sunday, a multi-party delegation of state lawmakers met the state governor.
\nBJP lawmker Kh Ibomcha said the delegation had asked that the arrested leaders be released after they were questioned by the police.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Manipur Authorities have imposed a curfew and shut down the internet in parts of the troubled north-eastern Indian state of Manipur after protests erupted over the arrest of leaders from an ethnic group. On Sunday, police arrested five leaders of Arambai Tenggol, an armed Meitei radical group, including their chief Asem Kanan Singh. India\u2019s top […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":483267,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-483244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n