Special Air India flights to and from Imphal for stranded people in Manipur

New Delhi [India], May 8 (ANI)

Air India has started operating special flights to and from Imphal on Saturday and Sunday, to facilitate people stranded during the ongoing situation in Manipur. A full fee waiver on rescheduling or cancellation of tickets for all flights to or from the northeastern state has been extended by Air India till Monday.

The airline started to offer these concessions on May 4. On Saturday (May 6), Air India's flight AI1889 operated on the Delhi-Imphal-Delhi sector that departed Delhi at 12.35 pm and returned to Delhi from Imphal with 159 guests and 10 infants.

On Sunday (May 7), Air India operated AI 1889, the second of the special flights from Delhi to Imphal, at 9.30 am. It then flew from Imphal to Guwahati and back as another special flight before its scheduled return to Delhi from Imphal at 6.45 pm

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Several state governments, including those in the country's northeastern part, are working on plans to evacuate their citizens out of the violence-hit Manipur.

Meanwhile, Internet services remain suspended and curfew imposed in violence-affected regions, and security forces deployed in Manipur after clashes between communities residing in hills and plains districts.

Starting Sunday, there has been some relaxation in curfew for people to be able to purchase essential items.

Violence erupted in the state last week after a Scheduled Tribes reservation was demanded by the plains dwellers, who are predominantly Meiteis and are the majority in numbers.

Against those demands, a rally was organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) Manipur on Wednesday, which later turned violent.