Riots in India over Residence Law Leave Three Dead
Riots over residence law in the Indian state of Manipur last night have left three people dead, and injured scores more, reports The National.
Rioters set fire to houses. Image Credit: Quinn Dombrowski (Flickr)
The mob violence follows new legislation defining who can claim to be from the northeastern state, which borders Myanmar.
Seven lawmakers had their homes set fire to, with one person killed while trapped in a burning house and two fatally shot when police opened fire to disperse rioters.
Police set a curfew and deployed paramilitary forces after the outcry erupted in Churachandpur town, 70 kilometers southwest of Imphal, the state capital.
One of the lawmakers, N. Biren Singh explained that the new law will require people to prove their families lived in Manipur before 1951, in an attempt to keep “outsiders” out, including migrants who may have crossed the Myanmar or Bangladesh borders.
The three bills were passed unanimously in the assembly on Monday. The laws aim to protect the interest of the indigenous people.
According to Mr. Singh:
“Those who are protesting may be harboring fears the authorities might now start looking at relevant documents to see if anyone has settled down in the state after 1951.”
