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Syed Zarir Hussain
At least 30 people were injured when anti-ceasefire protestors and security forces clashed as a mob ransacked the residence of a Union minister in Manipur, officials said on Tuesday.
Manipur police chief A S Siddiqui said hundreds of protestors defied a shoot-on-sight curfew late on Monday night in Imphal, attacking the private residence of Union Food Processing Minister T H Chaoba.
"They didn't torch the houses but simply damaged property and furniture," he said.
The protesters also attacked the house Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former culture minister W Thoiba Singh. One portion of the residence was destroyed in the attack.
A police patrol challenged the protestors with teargas shells and rubber bullets wounding nearly 30 demonstrators.
Meanwhile, authorities relaxed the curfew from 4 am on Monday for nine hours.
Army, police commandos and paramilitary troopers have stepped up patrols across Manipur with reports of more anti-government protests planned for Monday afternoon.
"We are taking no chances whatsoever and put the security forces on full alert," the police chief said.
Manipur has been hit by violent protests, in which at least 19 people have been killed, after New Delhi last month extended a ceasefire with a faction of the outlawed National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM).
Under the extension, the ceasefire is to be implemented across India and not just in the province of Nagaland.
This has led to fears that New Delhi might be considering carving slices off the neighboring states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Manipur -- all with sizeable Naga populations -- to create a 'Greater Nagaland'.
The United Committee of Manipur, the apex body spearheading the anti-ceasefire agitation in Manipur, has threatened to intensify its campaign if the Central government does not revoke the truce extension by July 31.
"There would be more bloodshed and violence in Manipur if the government fails to revoke the truce extension," a UCM leader said from Imphal.
A number of tribal Naga groups supporting the ceasefire have decided to hold rallies and take out processions in parts of Manipur later on Monday.
There are some 500,000 Nagas in Manipur's four hill districts although there has been an exodus of Nagas in the past fortnight following fears of attacks by the majority Meteis.
Indo-Asian News Service
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