An enraged mob in Manipur set fire to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Thoubal district as protests escalated over the alleged kidnapping and killing of two students in the state. The protesters, expressing their anger, also vandalized the office gate, shattered windows, and damaged a vehicle parked within the premises, according to a report by India Today.
Violent protests have persisted in Imphal for the second consecutive day, with demonstrators demanding swift action against those responsible for the abduction and murder of the two youths. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Manipur’s Chief Minister N Biren Singh of prompt action in addressing the issue.
In response to the ongoing unrest, the government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA by another six months in Manipur. However, this extension does not apply to 19 police stations within the Imphal valley and a border area adjacent to Assam.
Additionally, curfew has been reimposed in two districts because of the mob, East and West Imphal, as the state government grapples with the violent protests, which have resulted in 65 demonstrators being injured over the past two days.
Manipur’s Chief Minister N Biren Singh strongly condemned the alleged “kidnapping and killing” of the two students and pledged to ensure “maximum punishment” for the culprits. He stated, “This is a sad incident, and it is highly condemnable that what the Kuki militants have done is the highest level of crime.” Amit Shah has sent a CBI team, led by the agency’s Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar, to investigate the case.
The two youths had reportedly gone missing in Manipur on July 6. Ethnic violence has been escalating in the state since May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Over 180 people have been killed, and several hundred have been injured since the outbreak of violence.
