The two-week-old blockade by the Naga students of Manipur's hill districts took a turn for the worse after security personnel shot a youth on Friday. The killing of the civilian was followed by largescale arson on Saturday.
To protest the incident, a number of government offices were burnt at the four hill districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong.
Activists of the All Naga Students Association, Nagaland have been blocking the two main entry routes -- National Highway 39 and NH 53 -- to the state's capital Imphal for the past fortnight in protest against the state government's decision to declare June 18 as a holiday in memory of the people who died that day in 2001 protesting against the extension of ceasefire with National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah to Manipur.
The latest trouble began when some India Reserve Battalion men in civvies got into a verbal duel with some civilians at Senapati bazaar on Friday night.
The verbal argument soon turned into a physical fight and the security men apparently shot at a civilian named Stephen. One more person was assaulted.
Incensed over the shooting incident, a huge crowd gathered at the district headquarters on Saturday demanding that the two IRB men be handed over to them so that they may be tried according to Naga customary laws.
Police had to resort to firing in the air to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control. At the Ukhrul district headquarters, a large number of government offices were razed to the ground while files and documents of other departments were set on fire.
At Chandel, blockade supporters burnt down the sub-divisional office and offices of the BDO, Forest and Sericulture at Chandel district headquarters on Saturday. The arsonists also set on fire the Revenue and Horticulture Department offices.
On Sunday, the situation was under control but tense, reports said.
