Manipur to relax curfew in 5 districts for people to buy essential items
The Manipur authorities on Wednesday announced that the curfew in all areas of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubal districts will be relaxed from 5am till 12 noon on Thursday. The curfew was relaxed in the same districts from 5am till 10am on Wednesday when the residents came out to buy essentials.
An order issued on Wednesday by the additional district Magistrate, Imphal West, K Jadumani Singh, said there was a need to relax the restriction of movement to facilitate public to purchase the essential items including medicines and food items.
“Now therefore, restriction of movement of general public outside their residences is hereby lifted for 21st November, 2024 (Thursday) from 5am to 12 noon for all areas of Imphal West District,” the order said. “This relaxation shall not include any gathering/sit-in-protest/rally etc, without obtaining approval through competent authority.”
However, the movement of persons belonging to essential services such as Health, Electricity, CAF & PD, PHED, Telecom and Banking/Financial institutions including ATM cash filling, Petrol pumps, Municipality, Press & Electronic Media, functioning of Court and to and fro movement of flight passengers to Airport and contractor/worker with valid airport entry permit(AEP) card shall be exempted from further imposition of curfew after the expiry of the said period of relaxation, it added.
The district magistrates of Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubal districts also issued similar orders in this regard on Wednesday.
The state authorities imposed curfew in the valley districts with effect from 4.15pm of November 16 onwards, due to the widespread protests over the report of recovery of bodies of six civilians (three women and three children) who were found missing after ten armed militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Jiribam district on November 11.
Meanwhile, the state education department which had extended the closure of all schools in the state where “curfew has been imposed” till November 20 was yet to issue its extension order till the report goes to press.
In another development, the state home department on Wednesday extended suspension of mobile internet services for three more days in seven districts.
The state authority suspended the internet services on November 16 for two days “to thwart the design and activities of anti-national and anti-social elements and to maintain peace and communal harmony and to prevent any loss of life by stopping the spread of disinformation and fale rumours, through various social media platforms.” It had been extended for two more days on Monday.
“The State Government, after reviewing the prevailing law and order situation, decided to continue suspension of mobile Internet and mobile data services including VSATs and VPN services in the territorial jurisdiction of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur of Manipur for another 3 (Three) days,” said commissioner(Home) N Ashok Kumar in an order on Wednesday.
