Curfew Imposed in Manipur’s Lilong After Mob Torches BJP Leader’s House Over Waqf Act Support

Thoubal: The Manipur government on Monday imposed an indefinite curfew across the Lilong Assembly constituency in Thoubal district, a day after a massive mob torched the residence of BJP Minority Morcha’s state president, Md Asker Ali, over his support for the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025.

According to District Magistrate A. Subhash Singh, a crowd of around 7,000 to 8,000 people armed with sticks and stones attacked Ali’s residence in Lilong Sambrukhong Mamel on Sunday evening and set it ablaze. The mob violence reportedly stemmed from Ali’s social media posts on Saturday supporting the controversial Waqf Amendment Act.

Following a request from the Superintendent of Police, the curfew was enforced under Section 63 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent further unrest in the sensitive region. The district administration warned of a continued threat to public peace and tranquility in and around Lilong.

On Sunday, protests against the Waqf Amendment Act also broke out in several Muslim-dominated areas of Manipur’s valley districts, including Thoubal and Imphal East. Thousands of men and women rallied and blocked the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Lilong. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces were reported in Irong Chesaba and nearby locations.

Additional forces have been deployed across all sensitive zones, with senior officials on high alert to monitor the evolving situation.

President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on Saturday. Passed after intense debate in Parliament, the Act aims to enhance transparency in Waqf property management, improve coordination between Waqf Boards and local authorities, and protect stakeholders’ rights.