Authorities in Manipur, India, have imposed a curfew and shut down the internet in parts of the state following violent protests over the arrest of leaders from an ethnic group. The violence broke out after India’s top investigating agency arrested five leaders of Arambai Tenggol, an armed Meitei radical group, including their chief Asem Kanan Singh, at Manipur’s Imphal airport. Singh’s arrest was linked to his alleged involvement in “various criminal activities” related to the violence that erupted in the state in 2023.
The conflict in Manipur is rooted in ethnic clashes between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki groups over land and influence. Since 2023, more than 250 people have been killed, and tens of thousands displaced. Arambai Tenggol, which identifies itself as a social outfit, wields considerable influence in the state and enjoys support from the Meitei community.
The latest tensions began on June 7, when Singh and four other leaders were arrested and taken to Guwahati city in neighboring Assam. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) shifted the trial from Manipur to Guwahati due to the state’s law and order situation. Following the arrests, protesters demanding the release of Arambai Tenggol members stormed a police post, set fire to a bus, and blocked roads in parts of Imphal. Security forces fired tear gas shells and live rounds to disperse crowds, injuring a 13-year-old boy.
State lawmaker Okram Surjakumar attributed the chaos to the arrests, while Priyanka Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, questioned the government’s inability to bring peace to the conflict-hit state. She criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not meeting representatives from the state or making efforts for peace, stating, “It is the prime minister’s responsibility to ensure peace and security for the citizens of the country. To step back from this is to turn away from one’s duty.”
The state government suspended internet and mobile data services in five districts for five days and imposed an indefinite curfew in one. Gatherings of four or more people were prohibited in some areas, and Arambai Tenggol declared a 10-day shutdown in parts of the state. A multi-party delegation of state lawmakers met the state governor, requesting the release of the arrested leaders after police questioning.