Manipur: Curfew relaxed till 10pm in Imphal districts

• Image Credit: Google

• Oct 21, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The Manipur government has extended curfew timings for all areas in the Imphal East and Imphal West districts from...

Digital Desk: The Manipur government has extended curfew timings for all areas in the Imphal East and Imphal West districts from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. for Saturday (October 21), against the usual timing of 7 p.m.

Following the continuation of state-wide violence that began on May 3 and has been in force since then, a total curfew was imposed in Imphal West, Imphal East, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and other valley districts.

A total curfew was imposed in Imphal West, Imphal East, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and other valley districts in response to the ongoing state-wide unrest, which began on May 3 and has remained in force since then with the exception of brief periods of relaxation.

As the situation gradually returned to normalcy, it was relaxed from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. on most days and eventually up to 7 p.m. in Imphal West and Imphal East in the recent past. However, it was often clamped without notice in response to new episodes of violence.

The district magistrates of Imphal East and Imphal West issued orders on Friday relaxing the curfew "due to the improvement of the law and order situation."

“There is a necessity to relax the restriction of movement to facilitate the general public to purchasing essential items including medicines and food items etc,” Imphal East magistrate said in the order.

Also Read :  Mizoram Polls 2023: CM Zoramthanga files nomination papers

“This relaxation shall, however, not apply to any gatherings/large-scale movement of persons/sit-in-protests/rallies etc, which is unlawful in nature,” the order said.

“However, movement of persons belonging to essential services such as health, electricity, PHED, petrol pumps, schools/colleges, municipality, press and electronic media, functioning of courts and to and fro movement of flight passengers to the airport and contractor/worker with valid airport entry permit card will be exempted from the imposition of curfew,” the order of additional district magistrate, Imphal West, said.

It should be noted that both the Imphal East and Imphal West district authorities once extended the flexible curfew timing for all regions within the aforementioned districts from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on September 14, against the usual timing of 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Manipur has been experiencing state-wide violence since the first week of May, with over 175 people dead and nearly 50,000 people homeless, in addition to the burning of many villages and localities.