Current Affairs Topics Quiz Archive
International Relations Economics Polity & Governance Environment & Ecology Science & Technology Internal Security Geography Social Issues Art & Culture Modern History

Curfew imposed in 4 Manipur valley districts

April 07, 2026 5 min read Internal Security Polity & Governance GS Paper 3 (Internal Security — insurgency law & order) GS Paper 2 (Centre-State relations)
On This Page ▼

What Happened

  • Fresh violence erupted in Manipur when a suspected bomb/rocket attack struck a residential house in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai village, Bishnupur district, killing two children — a five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister — and critically injuring their mother
  • The Manipur government imposed an indefinite curfew in four valley districts: Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, and Kakching
  • The explosion triggered widespread protests, arson, and clashes between demonstrators and security forces; two additional persons were killed and five injured after a mob stormed a CRPF camp in Bishnupur
  • Mobile internet and mobile data services were suspended in five valley districts — Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur — for three days to prevent spread of rumours
  • Security forces including CRPF and Army columns were deployed across the valley to restore order

Static Topic Bridges

The Manipur Ethnic Conflict — Background and Context

The ongoing violence in Manipur stems from the ethnic conflict that erupted on May 3, 2023, between the majority Meitei community (concentrated in the Imphal Valley) and the Kuki-Zo tribal communities (residing in the hill districts). The immediate trigger was a protest march by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) against a Manipur High Court recommendation to consider granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meitei. As of late 2024, over 258 people had been killed and approximately 60,000 displaced since May 2023.

  • Meiteis constitute about 53% of Manipur's population and dominate the valley; Kukis, Nagas, and other tribal communities inhabit the surrounding hills
  • The conflict has ethnic, economic, land, and drug-trafficking dimensions; hill communities allege that poppy cultivation and forest encroachment have been selectively weaponised against them by the state administration
  • The Union government invoked Article 355 of the Constitution on May 4, 2023, granting the Centre authority to direct the security situation in the state
  • Internet shutdowns — used to prevent rumour-mongering and mob mobilisation — have become a recurring tool in Manipur, raising concerns about digital rights

Connection to this news: The April 2026 violence demonstrates that despite nearly three years, the Manipur conflict remains unresolved. The killing of children in a bomb attack signals escalation, and the curfew-and-internet-suspension response reflects the state's continued reliance on emergency administrative measures.

Article 355 — Union's Duty to Protect States from Internal Disturbance

Article 355 of the Constitution mandates that "it shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution." It is often a precursor to invoking President's Rule under Article 356.

  • Unlike Article 356, invoking Article 355 does not suspend the state government; the Centre can deploy Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and issue directions without imposing President's Rule
  • The Union government deployed Army, Assam Rifles, BSF, and CRPF units to Manipur under Article 355 from May 2023
  • Article 355 invocation is not subject to Parliamentary approval, unlike Article 356, making it a more politically flexible tool
  • Critics argue extended invocation of Article 355 without Article 356 creates a constitutional grey zone with unclear accountability

Connection to this news: The continued deployment of CRPF and Army in Manipur nearly three years after the Article 355 invocation, and their involvement in repelling mobs storming their camps, illustrates both the persistent security challenge and the federal dynamics of Centre-managed counterinsurgency within a state government framework.

Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and Security Architecture in Northeast

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 designates certain areas as "disturbed areas," granting the armed forces special powers including the right to search, arrest, and open fire with a degree of legal immunity from prosecution. Manipur (valley districts) was partially exempted from AFSPA in 2022 amid peace efforts, but hill districts continue under its purview.

  • AFSPA requires the state or Union government to declare an area "disturbed" under Section 3 before the Act applies
  • Section 4 of AFSPA grants armed forces personnel powers to prohibit assemblies, use force (including lethal force), search premises, and detain suspects
  • Section 6 protects army personnel from prosecution without prior Central government sanction — the primary criticism of the law
  • The Supreme Court in Naga People's Movement case (1998) upheld AFSPA's constitutional validity; the Extra-Judicial Execution case (2016) directed independent inquiry into 1,528 alleged fake encounters in Manipur

Connection to this news: Incidents like the mob storming a CRPF camp and retaliatory firing highlight the volatile civil-military interface in conflict zones. The question of whether AFSPA should be reimposed in valley districts following renewed violence is likely to be debated by security planners.

Internet shutdowns in India are governed by Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017. The Supreme Court in Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020) held that freedom of speech and expression includes the right to access the internet, and that shutdown orders must be subject to review by a committee.

  • The 2017 Rules require shutdown orders to be passed by the Home Secretary (state or Union), reviewed within five days by a committee chaired by the Chief Secretary
  • India records more internet shutdowns than any other country globally — over 600 shutdowns between 2012 and 2023 according to Access Now data
  • The Supreme Court in Anuradha Bhasin (2020) held that internet shutdowns cannot be indefinite and must be proportionate, necessary, and subject to judicial scrutiny
  • Manipur has been among the states with the most frequent and prolonged internet shutdowns since May 2023

Connection to this news: The three-day suspension of mobile internet in five Manipur valley districts in April 2026 is the latest instance in an established pattern. While the stated purpose is preventing rumour-based violence, critics argue such shutdowns disproportionately harm livelihoods, students, and access to emergency services.

Key Facts & Data

  • Bishnupur district, where the bomb attack occurred, has been an active conflict zone throughout the 2023–2026 period of Manipur violence
  • CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs and is the largest Central Armed Police Force in India, with over 3.25 lakh personnel
  • Manipur shares a 398-km border with Myanmar; porous borders have facilitated arms smuggling that has sustained the ethnic conflict
  • Under Article 355, the Union has deployed over 35,000 CAPF personnel in Manipur since May 2023
  • Curfew under Section 144 CrPC (now Section 163 BNSS) can be imposed by an Executive Magistrate to prevent assembly of five or more persons when public peace is threatened