GUWAHATI: The Manipur government conditionally restored internet broadband services on Thursday. However, the ban on mobile internet shall continue.“…The order is being passed ex-parte in view of the emergent situation,” the home department said.Internet services in the five Imphal valley districts – Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Thoubal and Bishnupur – were suspended on Tuesday after the protests by the students had turned violent. However, the indefinite curfew, imposed in Imphal East, Imphal West and Thoubal districts on Tuesday continued.The students in the Imphal valley are demanding the removal of state’s security advisor Kuldiep Singh and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh for failing to protect the lives and properties of citizens.Manipur police said following the violent protests in the past few days, 33 persons were arrested. “Seven juveniles were also apprehended. Necessary legal proceedings will be taken up against them,” the police added.Meanwhile, a Primary Health Centre (PHC) was torched by the miscreants in Jiribam district in the wee hours of Thursday. However, none was at the place at the time of the incident. There were reports of a gunfight in the same district, but details remain unavailable. The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence and visit Manipur to assess the ground situation personally and provide security to people, especially women and children, from both warring communities.“The situation in Manipur is dire, and it demands immediate attention from the highest levels of government. The failure to address the conflict not only undermines the stability of Manipur but also poses a threat to the broader peace and security of the entire Northeast region,” the NESO said in a statement, calling upon the Centre to act without further delay. Stating that the people of Manipur want concrete actions to resolve the conflict, the NESO called for the appointment of a high-level peace committee, involving representatives from all communities, to facilitate a lasting and peaceful resolution.“The escalation of violence, including reports of drone and missile strikes, has further exacerbated the already fragile situation. Such tactics not only intensify the devastation but also deepen the divide between communities, making the prospect of peace even more elusive,” the students’ body said. The fresh violence, which broke out on September 1, left two persons dead and over a dozen others injured.
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