Curfew was re-imposed Sunday in the Manipur capital and around after a journalist was killed in police firing on protestors demanding the arrest of a member of National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) for sexually assaulting a film actress.
Thangjam Nanao Singh of Prime Time, a Guwahati-based satellite channel, was killed Thangmeiband area in the afternoon when police opened fire to disperse supporters of the Manipur Film Forum who had allegedly torched a police vehicle, a police official said.
Police said the journalist succumbed to his bullet wounds at the Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital here.
"We have re-imposed curfew from 2 p.m. this afternoon (Sunday) to 6 a.m. tomorrow (Monday) in Imphal East and West districts of the state to calm the fragile law and order situation," State Chief Secretary D.S.Poonia told IANS.
He said the government has taken all steps to maintain law and order and to prevent the prevailing situation from spilling over to other districts of the state.
On Saturday, curfew was imposed in Imphal East and Imphal East districts from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. following violence in Imphal.
As the news of the journalist being killed in a police firing spread, protestors went on a rampage, torching a government office at Laiphamkhunou in Imphal west and four vehicles at Andro parking area, Langol and Khurai area.
All Manipur Working Journalists Union president Mobi Singh, meanwhile, asked police to return the camera used by the killed journalist in which he had captured the entire incident before he was hit by the bullets.
The Manipur Film Forum (MFF) had called for an indefinite general strike - the second day Sunday - demanding the arrest of Livingstone Anal, an NSCN-IM rebel leader for molesting a Manipuri film actress in a public function at Chandel district, bordering Myanmar Dec 18
The Naga rebel also opened fire at two artists who tried to rescue the film actress but the bullets missed them.
"The Manipur police and Assam Rifles are on a manhunt to arrest the Naga rebel. We have also requested the union home ministry to speak to the NSCN-IM to handover Livingstone Anal to the Manipur police," Poonia said.
Manipur Home Minister G. Gaikhangam, who visited the hospital and condoled the death of Singh, appealed to the people of the state to remain calm.
"All efforts are made to trace and arrest the Naga rebel and the chief minister (Okram Ibobi Singh) himself is in New Delhi to meet union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to ask him to speak to the NSCN-IM to hand over the accused to the Manipur government," he said.