Manipur: Internet cut in 5 districts amid protest

In Manipur, the State government on Tuesday ordered a temporary suspension of internet and mobile data services in five districts for three days amid unrest and security clampdown over the death of two children in a suspected rocket attack.The internet shutdown applies to Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts, according to a Home Department order issued April 7. A curfew was also clamped in Bishnupur, where the attack took place just after midnight on Tuesday. Authorities said the move was necessary to curb the spread of "disinformation and false rumours" and prevent activities that could disturb public order.

Protests have erupted in Manipur over the death an infant and a five-year old in a suspected rocket strike on a house in Bishnupur district early Tuesday.The incident sparked protests, with locals torching two oil tankers and a truck near a petrol pump, burning tyres outside a police station and damaging a makeshift police outpost. Security forces were deployed to restore order.
Security forces have increased deployment in the area, placing the region on high alert. Search operations and surveillance have been launched in adjoining hill areas to identify those responsible and prevent further escalation. A high court order sparked a deadly ethnic violence episode between Meiti and Kuki communities in Manipur in May 2023. While reports of violence decreased in 2025 after unrest for three years, the status of peace in the state remains fragile.