Four killed, 13 hurt during violence in Churachandpur in Manipur; indefinite curfew imposed

Four persons were killed and at least 13 others injured after violence broke out in Churachandpur district in Manipur last night after passage of some bills in the state assembly, prompting authorities to impose indefinite curfew in Churachandpur town. While three bodies were found in Churachandpur town, one charred body was recovered from under the debris at the residence of Henglep MLA Manga Vaiphei this morning from Churachandpur town, a police officer said. [caption id=“attachment_2415688” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “] Image courtesy: @ANI_news[/caption] According to an  NDTV report , the protesters were agitating against an amendment to the law by which non-tribals would be able to access land, thus leading to tribal communities losing land. The protesters set on fire houses belonging to Manipur’s health minister Phungzathang Tonsing and MLAs Manga Vaiphei from Henglep constituency and Vungzagin Valte from Thanlom constituency, police told PTI. According to a Times of India report , the incident is said to have taken place at around 6 p.m on Monday, when protesters ransacked Tonsing’s house and took out some furniture items, later setting them on fire. The Manipur Assembly on Monday unanimously passed three bills to protect the indigenous people of the state. These were the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (7th amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015. A spokesman of the Joint Committee of Inner Line Permit (JCILP) expressed satisfaction over the passage of the bills. One of the clauses in the bills is to set 1951 as the base year to identify non-indigenous people, who are regarded as outsiders by a section. According to the new law, those who settled in Manipur before 1951, could have property rights. “The rest will have to give up property and may even be asked to leave.” With PTI inputs