An uneasy calm prevailed in Churachandpur district of Manipur on Saturday where "unruly mobs" clashed with security personnel, prompting the administration to impose a night curfew.

Clashes between protesters and the security personnel intensified soon after the eight-hour Churachandpur bandh called by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a conglomerate of recognised tribes from the district, ended at 4pm on Friday.

The total shutdown was called to protest the BJP-led state government’s “failure” to address the “grievances and apprehensions (about the survey carried out by the government) pertaining to reserve forests/protected forest wetlands/wildlife and the eviction of villages”.

The night curfew from 5pm to 5am was imposed following a request from the district police in a report to the district magistrate on Friday evening.

The report by Churachandpur superintendent of police K. Malladi said the law and order situation in the district was “worsening” from Friday afternoon due to “unruly mobs” in the street “blocking” roads and “causing serious disturbance” to public movement and “damage” to public properties among others.

Besides a mob torching a range forest office at Tuibong in Churachandpur on Friday night, incidents of stone pelting at the security personnel were reported during the night.

The security personnel had to use tear gas and fire blanks to disperse the mob that was, among others, seeking the release of all those who had been detained by the police after a stone-pelting incident in the afternoon.

A police officer said stone pelting continued till 2am followed by a road blockade on Saturday morning and a spontaneous bandh, which was lifted late afternoon as the administration reached out to influential groups to ease tension.

Section 144 of the CrPC and suspension of mobile Internet services in two districts — Churachandpur and Pherzawl — for five days were imposed on Thursday night after a mob vandalised an open gym and a venue for a public meeting to be addressed by chief minister N. Biren Singh on Friday afternoon.

Those familiar with the situation said Manipur director-general of police P. Doungel reviewed the security situation in the affected district on Saturday and held discussions with local civil society and student organisations.

The organisations reasoned with the protesters to call off the bandh, a local resident said.

The protesters were against the chief minister's attending two functions at New Lmtak on Friday. The chief minister did not attend the events at the request of the organisers in “deference to the concerns and sentiments” of the local people.

Residents said more such meetings between the administration and local organisations were on the cards to ease tension and clear misconception.

They also said the BJP-led government has to "handle the situation tactfully and with compassion" to remove resentment and misconception triggered by the government’s survey of forest areas and eviction from those areas.