Imphal : In its efforts to control the prevailing situation, the state government imposed indefinite curfews in Imphal West and Imphal East districts from 5 p.m. on Thursday. The move is being taken up following skirmishes between the throngs of protesters and police near the gates of different police stations in the valley districts on Thursday.

The ‘mass court arrest’ agitations called by several Meira Paibis and Social Voluntary Organisations demanding the unconditional release of 5 village volunteers arrested by police turned out a battlefield in and around different police stations.

The protesters intensified the agitations after the 48-hour statewide bandh that ended on Wednesday. Over 40 protesters mostly women sustained injuries when the police fired tear gas shells to disperse them at different locations near the premises of the Singjamei, Irilbung, Porompat, Kwakwa, Andro, Bishnupur and Heingang police stations.

The protesters caused damage to the gate of the Irilbung police station. The residences of the Officer-in-charge of the Singjamei and Imphal West district police stations were also vandalized in the protesters’ actions. A policeman also got injured. It is reported that over 5 protesters were arrested, the police said. The injured persons were rushed to the RIMS and JNIMS hospitals.