Manipur Partially Lifts Internet Ban, Broadband Allowed, Mobile Internet To Remain Shut

According to reports, as of now, only broadband services have been allowed to operate in Manipur while mobile internet services will remain shut.

Imphal, Manipur: The Manipur government on Tuesday partially lifted ban on Internet services in the violence-torn north-eastern state after remaining suspended for nearly two months. According to reports, as of now, only broadband services have been allowed to operate in Manipur while mobile internet services will remain shut, till further notice.

According to a notification issued by the state’s Home Department, the ban on broadband internet in the ethnic violence-hit state has been lifted conditionally  in a “liberalised manner”.  However, mobile internet services will remain suspended, it said.

“Connection will be only through static IP and that the subscriber concerned shall not accept any other connection other than allowed for the time being [TSP/ISP shall be held responsible for non-compliance of this condition],” it said.

“No Wifi Hotspots shall be allowed from any of the routers and systems using the connection at any cost by the subscriber concerned,” it said.

The government has considered the suffering of the people as the internet ban affected offices and institutions, and people working from home, besides mobile recharge, LPG cylinder booking, payment of electricity bills, and other online services, the order said.

It said the suspension on broadband internet has been lifted in a liberalised manner, subject to fulfilment of several terms and conditions.

The Manipur violence

Recently, tensions simmered in Manipur again after after a disconcerting video emerged on July 19 showing two women, reportedly belonging to the Kuki-Zo tribe, being paraded naked on the road by a group of men. The purported video was reportedly shot on May 4 and one of the women was allegedly gang-raped in a nearby paddy field.

A few days, a similar incident came to the fore wherein two tribal women were allegedly abducted, gang-raped and murdered on the same day when the aforementioned horrifying video of two women being paraded naked by a mob of men, was reportedly filmed.

According to reports, in the second incident, the two women who worked at a carwash in Imphal were raped and murdered on May 4, same day when two other women were stripped naked and paraded on roads on the other side of the north-eastern state.

The two victims, aged 21 and 24, were residents of Kangpokpi district of Manipur and used to work at a carwash facility in state capital Imphal, India Today reported. On the fateful day of May 4, they were allegedly abducted from their workplace by a mob, gangraped and then killed, the report said.

According to the report, the mother of one of the victims lodged a complaint on May 5 at the Saikul Police Station, but the cops registered the FIR after nearly two weeks on May 16.

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May 3 between majority the Meiteis, concentrated in Imphal valley, and the Kukis, occupying the hills. Over 160 people have been killed in the violence so far.

(With PTI inputs)