Internet services in five districts of India’s Manipur state have been suspended as the continuing protests led by students against ethnic violence turned intense on Tuesday, according to reports.
The government has choked both broadband and cellular internet services, with a curfew imposed in the restive state. The shutdown of internet services will last five days. However, it is yet unknown when the curfew will be lifted.
The suspension of connectivity services and the curfew come after violence flared up on September 1, 2024, between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state of the world’s biggest democracy. Drones were used to drop explosive devices, which resulted in several deaths, according to reports.
Following the attacks, a large number of Meitei students took to the streets to protest against the Kuki community, which is a minority group. The Meitei blamed the drone-facilitated attacks on a Kuki militant group, which it denied the responsibility for. The protestors’ demands include changes in Manipur’s “unified command” that is in charge of the security.
The demonstrations took a violent turn when the protestors reached the state governor’s residence and pelted its gates with stones, bottles, and other objects. The police, in response, used tear gas and stun grenades to break up the crowds. According to the police, about 45 protestors sustained minor injuries.
The tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities worsened last year when the communities clashed over the sharing of economic benefits, government job quotas, and education. The clashes have resulted in 225 deaths and about 60,000 people have been displaced.
Before India, Bangladesh shut down internet services in July during the countrywide student protests against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The demonstrations in Bangladesh, too, demanded the end of a quota system that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for the family members of individuals who fought the 1971 independence war. According to a latest report by Rest of World, the five-day connectivity blackout, coupled with Hasina fleeing the country, has cost the economy $300 million.
