Following a tragic bomb attack that killed two children, the Manipur government has suspended internet services in five districts to curb the spread of misinformation and maintain law and order amidst escalating protests.
The Manipur government on Tuesday ordered suspension of internet and mobile data services, including Broadband, VSATs and VPN in five valley districts for three days, an official statement said.
The Commissioner Home N Ashok Kumar, signed the order banning internet and mobile data services in five districts from Tuesday, it said.
A Home department statement said, "In view of the prevailing law and order situation in five districts of Manipur - Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur and to stop the spread of disinformation and false rumours ... the government has decided to order temporary suspension of internet services and mobile data services including Broadband, VSATs and VPN services in five districts."
Two children were killed, and their mother was injured in a bomb attack in Manipur's Bishnupur district on Tuesday, triggering protests by locals, police said.
The incident occurred at around 1 am when a bomb was hurled by suspected militants at a house in Moirang Tronglaobi area, killing a 5-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl, a senior officer said.
Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh described the attack as a "barbaric act" and assured the people that those responsible for the crime would be identified and dealt with firmly under the law.
The two children and their mother were sleeping in their bedroom when the bomb exploded in the house, the police officer said.
Locals staged a protest this morning and torched two oil tankers and a truck near a petrol pump in the area. They burnt tyres in front of the Moirang Police Station and destroyed a makeshift police outpost.
Security forces have been deployed in the area to control the situation, the officer said.
People also burnt tyres in different parts of Imphal to protest the killing of the two minors.