Manipur Lifts Curfew Restrictions In 5 Districts For Essential Item Purchases

The Manipur authorities have announced a temporary relaxation of curfew in five districts—Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Thoubal—to allow residents to purchase essential items. This decision comes amidst ongoing unrest in the state following recent incidents that have heightened tensions.

On Thursday, November 21, the curfew will be eased from 5 a.m. to 12 noon, allowing people to step out for essentials such as food and medicines. A similar relaxation was provided on Wednesday, but only for a shorter window, from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.

An order from the Additional District Magistrate of Imphal West, K. Jadumani Singh, stated that the relaxation aims to “facilitate the public to purchase essential items.” However, the order explicitly prohibits any public gatherings, protests, or rallies without prior approval from competent authorities.

While general public movement remains restricted outside the relaxation period, exemptions are granted for essential services, including health, electricity, food distribution, public health engineering, telecom, and banking. Press personnel, court staff, airline passengers, and contractors with valid airport entry permits are also exempt from the curfew restrictions.

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The curfew was imposed on November 16, 2024, at 4:15 p.m., in response to widespread protests triggered by the recovery of bodies of six civilians—three women and three children—who had gone missing after an encounter between security forces and militants in Jiribam district on November 11. The encounter had resulted in the death of ten armed militants, escalating tensions in the state.

Adding to the measures, the state home department extended the suspension of mobile internet services for three more days across seven districts, including Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur. The suspension, first imposed on November 16, aims to curb the spread of disinformation and rumors through social media platforms, which could exacerbate the situation.

“The State Government, after reviewing the prevailing law and order situation, decided to continue suspension of mobile Internet and mobile data services,” said N. Ashok Kumar, Commissioner (Home), in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The curfew and internet suspension have disrupted normal life, affecting businesses, education, and communication in the state. The state education department had earlier announced the closure of schools in curfew-imposed districts until November 20 but has yet to issue a further extension order.

Residents have expressed concerns about limited access to information, online services, and educational resources due to the prolonged internet shutdown. The restrictions have also posed challenges for daily wage earners and small businesses, already grappling with the fallout of the unrest.

The curfew relaxation provides a brief respite for residents to secure essential supplies, but the underlying tensions remain unresolved. As Manipur grapples with maintaining law and order, the extended suspension of internet services underscores the state’s focus on preventing the spread of misinformation and maintaining communal harmony.

The coming days will be crucial in determining how the situation evolves, with authorities keeping a close watch on developments to ensure peace and stability in the region.

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