Three people were killed and seven houses belonging to politicians set on fire last evening in violence by protestors in Churachandpur district of Manipur over three bills passed in the state assembly to protect the indigenous people of the state. An indefinite curfew has been clamped in the district headquarters, according to reports.
Five people were injured, two of them seriously, reported NDTV, adding that houses of Manipur's health minister Phungzathang Tonsing and five other lawmakers were set on fire during the agitation.
The three bills sought to regulate the entry of outsiders in the state through a permit system and carry out land reforms in the state, the report said.
Section 144 imposed on Manipur's Churachandpur district indefinitely after agitation over inner line permit system (ILPS) bill last night.
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 1, 2015
A senior police officer said the agitators also torched the houses of the MP of Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, Thangso Baite and five MLAs, including Manga Vaiphei of Henglep Assembly constituency and Vungzagin Valte of Thanlom. It was yet to be ascertained as to which were the three other legislators whose houses were burnt, PTI reported.
One of the arsonists was hospitalised after sustaining serious injuries while trying to set fire to a house, the officer added.
Three tribal students' organisations, which had called a 12-hour bandh in the hill districts to protest against the passing of some Bills in the Manipur Assembly, are suspected to be behind the arson, the officer said.
Churachandpur: Residences of Manipur Health Min, MLA of Thanlon & MLA of Singhat set ablaze. pic.twitter.com/2tojSzPzW1
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 31, 2015
Three Bills were passed today in the Assembly to protect the indigenous people of Manipur. They are The Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh amendment) Bill, 2015, and The Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015.
Manipur has been on the boil for several months now after the implemention of the Inner Line Permit (ILP). The ILP is a special permit issued by the Government of India to allow an Indian citizen to travel to certain protected areas for a limited period. It is in place in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. (With inputs from PTI)
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