Twin shutdown calls, protests paralyse Manipur

Clashes between protesters and police following shutdown calls by two different organisations, in protest against recent killings in both valley and hill districts, brought normal life in trouble-torn Manipur to a standstill on Tuesday. Educational institutions, markets and public transport services remained closed across all five Meitei-dominated valley districts as well as in Naga-inhabited areas of Ukhrul and Senapati.
UNC shutdown hits Naga areas; curfew in Kangpokpi: In the hill districts, United Naga Council (UNC) enforced a three-day “total shutdown” from Monday to protest the April 18 attack in Ukhrul district, where suspected militants fired on a convoy of civilian vehicles travelling from Imphal, killing two persons.
Curfew has been imposed in Kangpokpi district as tension escalated in areas adjoining Senapati district following clashes during UNC three-day total shutdown in Naga-dominated regions of the state.
Officials said a clash broke out between two tribal communities in areas along Senapati-Kangpokpi border Tuesday after the shutdown enforced on the Senapati side faced opposition from residents on Kangpokpi side, leading to heightened tension. According to an official order, an indefinite curfew has been imposed within Kangpokpi with effect from 6 pm on Tuesday.
Women group holds protest in Imphal valley: Sit-in protests were held at multiple locations in Imphal Valley, including Uripok and Nagaram. Defying the curfew, a seven-km-long torch rally was taken out from Mayai Lambi to Keishamthong in Imphal West district on Monday night. The protest march, largely attended by women’s groups (Meira Paibis), turned violent and clashed with security forces, sources said.
Security sources said repeated appeals failed to stop protesters from defying the curfew. Forces were compelled to fire several rounds of tear gas shells in Keishamthong to disperse the crowd, which insisted on proceeding another 200 metres towards Keisampat, near the Lok Bhavan and the BJP state office. Alleging that protesters resorted to stone-pelting using catapults, security sources said Manipur Police arrested 19 people for violating curfew and committing offences, including blocking roads and damaging public property, in Greater Imphal.