Mob vandalises Manipur CM's programme venue, prohibitory orders issued

Imphal: After a mob on Thursday night vandalised and set on fire the venue where Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh was to address an event on Friday in Churachandpur district, Manipur government banned large gatherings and suspended internet services.

The provocation for the attack was reportedly attributed to a tribal outfit’s resentment over the BJP government's survey of reserved and protected forests and areas like wetlands, according to NDTV.

The prohibitionary measures, clamped in the district, were according to the order to avoid the "likelihood of breach of peace and disturbance to public tranquility and danger to human lives and property" .

Local police quickly swung into action and dispersed the mob but not before the venue was damaged with hundreds of burning chairs.

The agitated mobs 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, police said.

Besides the inauguration of the open gym, Biren is also scheduled to attend another function organised by a local at Sadbhavna Mandap.

The mob attack happened as the Indigenous Tribe Leaders Forum called for a total Churachandpur shutdown from 8 am to 4 pm.

The Forum claimed that despite repeated submission of memorandums to the government protesting an ongoing eviction drive to clear reserved forested areas of farmers and otehr tribal settlers, "the government has shown no sign of willingness or sincerity in addressing the plight of the people."

With inputs from PTI