Section 144 imposed, internet services suspended as mob torches Manipur’s CM event venue ahead of his visit

The venue where Manipur's Chief Minister N Biren Singh was supposed to hold an event on Friday in the state's Churachandpur district was vandalised and set on fire by a mob. Today, the Chief Minister was supposed to inaugurate a gym-cum-sports facility in the state.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum, which has been protesting against the BJP-led state government's survey of reserved and protected forests and wetlands, reportedly led the mob violence. The tribal forum has also accused the state administration of destroying churches.

Internet services have been suspended temporarily, and Section 144 was imposed in the Churachandpur district of Manipur after the violence erupted.

The angry mob was seen destroying furniture within the facility, including seats, and setting sports equipment inside the complex on fire in the recently built gym.

Local police took action quickly and dispersed the mob, but the facility had already suffered damage from hundreds of flaming chairs. The Churachandpur administration further strengthened the security in the district as the situation became out of control, but there is still an atmosphere of tension in the area.

Police told news agency PTI that the agitated mob managed to partially torch the newly set-up open gym at PT Sports complex at New Lamka, which Biren Singh is slated to inaugurate on Friday afternoon.

Earlier, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum said in a statement that it had been compelled to carry out a non-cooperation campaign against the government, thus obstructing its programmes and also called for an eight-hour strike in the district on Friday starting from 8 am.

The Manipur government earlier this month reportedly demolished three churches in the state, saying these were constructed illegally.

The district administration has not yet confirmed whether the chief minister's programme has been cancelled because of the violence.

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