Thousands of people in India's Manipur state were moved to camps for their safety after deadly clashes between tribal and non-tribal groups, authorities said on Friday.
India rushed hundreds of soldiers to the remote state on the border with Myanmar on Thursday after a protest march by a tribal group turned violent.
Authorities imposed an internet shutdown and issued shoot-at-sight orders in “extreme cases” in an effort to contain the unrest, which has claimed at least six lives.
Some police stations had been overrun by “miscreants” who stole arms and ammunition, Manipur's top police officer P Doungel told reporters in Imphal, the state capital.
“The situation is not fully under control but it is gradually improving,” Mr Doungel said.
“More soldiers were being deployed to strengthen security and about 20,000 people were evacuated from violence-hit areas.”
The Indian Army said in a statement on Friday evening that “approximately 13,000" civilians had been rescued from affected areas and were staying in makeshift facilities at military sites.
“More than 100 columns are working tirelessly towards restoring law and order in Manipur at the earliest,” the army said.
The clashes followed rising tension between the Meitei people, who live in mostly in the main valley, and numerous tribes in the hilly state.
The Meitei people have been agitating to be granted scheduled tribe status. But the recognised tribes in Manipur oppose that status being extended to the Meitei, who are the largest single ethnic group in the state.
Last month, the Manipur High Court asked the government to consider the Meitei community's plea.
Indian law gives tribes falling under that designation reserved quotas for government jobs and college admissions as a form of affirmative action to address structural inequality and discrimination.
Manipur is part of India's remote north-east, a region linked to the rest of the country by a narrow land corridor that has seen decades of unrest among ethnic and separatist groups.
The region is home to dozens of tribal groups and small guerrilla armies whose demands range from greater autonomy to secession from India.
At least 50,000 people have lost their lives in the conflicts since the first insurgency broke out in Manipur in the early 1950s.
Over the years, these conflicts have waned, with many groups striking deals with New Delhi for more powers.
Agencies contributed to this report
