Security personnel firing teargas to dispel the protestors on February 12. (NNN Photo)
Newmai News Network
Imphal | February 12
Indefinite curfew was imposed in the twin capital districts - Imphal West and Imphal East – with effect from Monday midnight besides simultaneous suspension of all forms of telecom services except voice calls. People in Imphal defied curfew and staged protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was stalled from tabling in the Rajya Sabha after the sitting was adjourned till February 13 owing to uproar.
Even as the protest got intensified, the administration has clamped the curfew in the state capital as a pre-emptive move to maintain the situation. The administration has also suspended or banned all forms of telecom services except voice calls. As such, social media cannot be used.
Nude protest by some youths, storming of the residences of legislators and protests on roads were witnessed on Tuesday. At some places, protestors blocked roads amidst heavy presence of security and police personnel. The security forces, in attempts to disperse the protestors, used tear gas shells and mock bombs but to no avail.
In the police action, some protestors sustained injuries. Two of them, including a woman, were hospitalised.
The indefinite curfew imposed by separate orders issued by the district magistrates of the two districts, prohibiting people from going out of their respective houses under Section 144 of the CrPC, were issued in the wake of intensified protests overnight in Imphal and its outskirts amidst apprehension of tabling for passing the contentious CAB in the Upper House of the Parliament.
The Imphal West district magistrate further issued order prohibiting all local cable TV networks transmission of re-transmission of agitations/protest of any forms, inflammatory speech and public discourses that may incite to violence. The prohibition under section 19 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 was imposed as such programmes may lead to breach of public peace and tranquillity in the interest of the general public, the order stated.
Regarding the imposition of curfew in the twin capital districts, police alerted people using laud speakers to stay indoors, particularly in the Greater Imphal area which covers both the districts. However, defying the curfew, people across the two districts came out on the streets and staged the protest against the Bill with various anti-Bill and anti-BJP government slogans. While staging the protests, the protestors burnt the effigies of the Prime Minister, the Union Home minister and the state Chief Minister.
At Kwakeithel along Tidim Road, protestors burnt the banners with photos of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister amidst the heavy presence of police and security personnel. In their bid to disperse the protestors, police fired tear shells and mock bombs which failed to deter the protestors. Some male protestors who stormed the state BJP temporary office at Canchipur in Imphal pulled down their pants registering their protest against the Bill at the strongest term.
They alleged that CAB was no different from killing the indigenous people of the state and the region.
In police action towards the protestors at the same temporary office of the state BJP, a woman later identified as Keisham Jibanmala Devi sustained injuries on her left leg after she was hit by a tear gas shell. She has been rushed to the RIMS hospital.
After the police dispersed them, the protestors took to the street along NH-102 (Imphal-Moreh) and continued their protest by blocking the highway. During the protest, they burnt down the effigies of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Home minister Rajnath Singh and state the Chief Minister N Biren Singh at Wangjing market.
Police firing tear gas shells and mock bombs towards the protestors continued in Imphal till late Tuesday evening. Similar protests against the Bill were also reported in other parts of the state, particularly in Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts. A youth, identified as Tekcham Naobi, 25, of Wangjing Tekcham village was injured in the police action to disperse a large number of protestors storming the residence of MLA P Brojen at Tekcham Tuesday evening, around 5.30 pm.
Meanwhile, While informing that the Bill cannot be tabled on Tuesday in the Rajya Sabha due to ruckus in the house, PAM has also asked the people to remain alert as there is still possibility of tabling the Bill in the house on Wednesday.
