Protesters and police clashed Thursday night in the violence-wracked northeastern Indian state of Manipur as the former tried to storm the chief minister's house.

Thousands of residents in the state capital Imphal defied a security clampdown and curfew to mount a protest and attack the residence of N. Biren Singh, but were prevented from reaching his house by police, a senior official in Singh's office told Agence France-Presse.

Authorities cut off electricity in the area to reduce visibility for the demonstrators and broadcaster NDTV reported that security forces fired several rounds of tear gas.

The chief minister's office also appealed to the army to send in reinforcements to control the mob which was "coming from all directions."

Manipur police said that "adequate security was in place."

Singh is a member of India's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been criticized for his administration's failure to end the violence in the state.

More than 150 people have been killed in the remote state since armed clashes broke out in May between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and mainly Christian Kuki community.

Meiteis have been infuriated in recent days by pictures of two murdered students from their community who had gone missing in July.

Officials this week imposed a curfew in Imphal after dozens of students were injured in clashes with security forces.

A nearly five-month long internet ban was lifted last week, but was reimposed late Tuesday.

Human Rights Watch has accused the Manipur authorities of facilitating the conflict with "divisive policies that promote Hindu majoritarianism."

 WITH AFP