Authorities in Manipur’s Thoubal district have imposed an indefinite curfew in Manipur after a mob set fire to the home of BJP Minority Morcha chief Askar Ali. The arson attack took place on Sunday evening, just a day after Ali publicly spoke in favour of the Waqf (Amendment) Act and praised BJP in a social media post.
The violence erupted in Lilong, a Muslim-majority area, prompting the district administration to invoke Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent further unrest.
According to District Magistrate A. Subhash Singh, a crowd of nearly 8,000 people stormed Ali’s residence, armed with sticks and stones. The order banning public gatherings of more than five people, as well as the carrying of weapons or potentially harmful objects, was issued shortly after.
“I have reviewed the report submitted by the Superintendent of Police, Thoubal. There is enough ground to proceed under Section 163 to avert serious breaches of peace and threats to life and property,” Singh stated.
Though Ali retracted his remarks and issued a public apology, tensions remained high. His efforts to calm the situation failed to prevent the violence, which followed mass protests in Imphal earlier that day against the Waqf Act.
A family member of Ali told a news channel that the attackers also burned religious texts during the assault.
“We had just come back from a wedding when they started throwing stones. We said sorry, but they kept attacking. Even the Quran was burned. They also stole money, jewelry, and other valuables. It seemed like they came to loot,” the relative said.
Also Read: Manipur: Four Muslims Shot Dead, 11 Injured in An Alleged Arambai Tenggol Attack in Lilong
The Manipur unit of the Congress party has condemned the Waqf (Amendment) Act, calling it unconstitutional and a direct attack on religious freedom.
“This legislation violates Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion. It’s an attempt to bring personal religious laws under state control,” said state Congress chief Keisham Meghachandra Singh.
The situation remains tense, with security forces deployed across the region to maintain order.
