Protests over the arrests of Meitei outfit leaders continued in Manipur on Sunday even as the administration imposed prohibitory orders and suspended internet services in five Imphal valley districts, officials said. Protesters torched tyres on roads in Uripok and Koirengei in Imphal West district and Khurai in Imphal East, defying the prohibitory orders, they said.

A mob also set a bus on fire at Khurai Lamlong in Imphal East district. At Koirengei, demonstrators dug up the road and made heaps of soil on the thoroughfares to prevent the movement of security forces. Prohibitory orders have been clamped in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching districts, while internet and mobile data services, including VSAT and VPN facilities, have been suspended in these valley areas since Saturday night after violent protests erupted over the arrests of leaders of the Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol. Internet services have been suspended in the five valley districts for five days from 11.45 pm on Saturday. 

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday held a security review meeting with senior officials in the wake of the demonstrations. A Raj Bhavan statement said the governor also met a delegation of MLAs who apprised Bhalla of the current law and order situation in the northeastern state. The governor told the delegation that all “necessary steps are being taken to address the concerns and to restore normalcy”, it said.