Manipur: Govt Schools, Colleges In Several Districts Closed Tomorrow Amid Escalating Tensions

The Manipur government has declared closure of the state-run educational institutions and colleges, including universities, in Imphal West and Imphal East districts until Tuesday. The education department has announced the decision in consultation with the state home department, news agency ANI reported.

“In view of the curfew imposed by District Magistrate in many of the Districts and considering the safety of the students and teacher, it is hereby ordered that all the Government

Institutions/Government Aided Colleges under Higher & Technical Education Department, Government of Manipur including State Universities in the Districts where curfew has been imposed shall remain closed for 2 (two) days w.e.f November 18 to November 19,” read an order from the Higher and Technical Education Department secretariat.

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NIA Takes Over Key Cases

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday took over three cases registered in connection with the ongoing violence in the northeastern state of Manipur. The move comes amid rising ethnic tensions which have resulted in casualties and severe disruption of public order. The state, which has been witnessing ethnic strife since May 2023, saw a surge in violence after the decomposed bodies of a woman and two children were recovered on Friday, November 15.

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The bodies belonged to three of the six members of the Meitei community, who has allegedly been abducted on November 11, when suspected Kuki militants ambushed the Borobekra police station and a CRPF camp in Jiribam. 10 militants were gunned down by the security forces after a fierce encounter. The recovery of bodies led to tensions and aggressive protests as mobs set fire to the residences of BJP and Congress legislators in various districts of Imphal Valley on Saturday night. The agitators also attempted to storm the ancestral residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, but were stopped by the security forces.

The state has since been under clampdown, with internet suspended and the reimposition of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur's six police station areas, including Jiribam. Fresh protests broke out on Sunday after two more bodies, a beheaded body of two-year-old and a 60-year-old woman, were found floating in a river near Jiribam.