The Indian administration restricts outdoor engagements in response to ethnic strife.
Following a string of ethnically-driven conflicts, powers have enforced a nighttime ban and blacked out select regions of the Indian self-administered region of Manipur. Conflicts have flared up intermittently in this north-eastern province for over a year now, resulting in at least nine casualties within the past fortnight. Local militant groups have resorted to homemade drones and projectiles.
The conflict stems from a territorial boundary and public employment disagreement. The straw that broke the camel's back was the Christian Kuki tribe's demonstration against the Meitei, who are predominantly Hindus, pressing for a special status that would enable them to acquire property in Kuki-inhabited hill regions and secure a set quota of jobs in the public sector. Despite the presence of armed forces, deadly skirmishes have persisted. Since May of the previous year, approximately 250 individuals have lost their lives and somewhere around 50,000 have been forced to relocate.
An open-ended curfew has been established in three districts of Manipur. The state administration announced that internet and mobile data services would be halted until Sunday to hinder the propagation of misleading news and provocative speech that could potentially instigate additional violence. Earlier this week, law enforcement officers deployed tear gas against crowds of hundreds of students who aimed to journey towards the Manipur governor's residence, seeking an end to the chaos.
The state administration implemented a prohibition of movement in specific districts to maintain peace, following the escalating conflicts. This prohibition aims to prevent the spread of inflammatory information and speeches that could worsen the situation.
