BJP office in Manipur torched as fresh spate of violence burns state

Following the internet ban in Manipur enforced on Tuesday (September 26), an enraged mob set fire to a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mandal office in Thoubal district, adjacent to Imphal, the state capital on Wednesday (September 27).

Simultaneously, Imphal Valley also witnessed fresh protests, reigniting tensions in the state following the tragic killing of two Meitei students who went missing on July 6.

Meanwhile, Rakesh Balwal, the IPS officer who led the NIA probe after the 2019 Pulwama attack has been repatriated to the Manipur cadre from the AGMUT cadre, by the Ministry of Home Affairs, reported India Today.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the state government declared the whole state a ‘disturbed area’ under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for the next six months, barring a handful of police stations in the Imphal Valley.

What happened?

• The mob set ablaze the Thoubal office, including the office gate, shattering the windows, and the windshield of a parked Mahindra Scorpio vehicle parked within the premises, reported India Today.
• According to India Today, many protestors also burnt tyres and blocked the Indo-Myanmar highway, which forms a part of the Asian Highway 1,  using wooden logs and unused electric poles.

• To contain the situation, the security agencies had to fire tear gas shells, mock bombs, and live bullets to disperse the crowd, which was using slingshots and stones to attack them back.

This Thoubal incident marks a troubling trend of targeted attacks on BJP offices and properties attached to BJP functionaries in the state, with three similar instances recorded in June during the ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur.

Fresh protests

• Simultaneously, many places in the Imphal Valley witnessed fresh protests, and rallies organised by student bodies on Wednesday, against the killing of these two students, after the photos of their lifeless bodies went viral on social media.

• The recent violent clash between the protestors and security forces on Tuesday night injured 45 individuals, primarily students.
• Hundreds of students reportedly marched towards the residence of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Wednesday, where the state police and Rapid Action Force, used tear gas shells and smoke bombs to disperse the demonstrators.

Manipur violence

The violence in Manipur since May has claimed over 175 lives and left hundreds of injured. The initial trigger for the violence was a 'Tribal Solidarity March' in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

The Meiteis, who make up around 53% of Manipur's population and mainly reside in the Imphal valley, were met with opposition from tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, who constitute 40% of the population and predominantly live in the hill districts.