India's strife-torn northeastern state of Manipur ordered an internet blackout yesterday, after imposing a curfew following days of deadly ethnic violence and clashes between protesters and police.

The majority Meitei community and the tribal Kukis have clashed sporadically since last year after a court ordered the state government to consider extending special economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education enjoyed by the Kukis to the Meiteis as well.

At least 11 people were killed last week as hostilities between the two communities erupted again after months of relative calm.

A notice from the state's home ministry ordered all internet and mobile data services in the state to be shut off for five days in order to bring the latest unrest under control.

"Some anti-social elements might use social media extensively for transmission of images, hate speech and hate video messages inciting the passions of the public," the notice said.

"It has become necessary to take adequate measures to maintain law and order in public interest, by stopping the spread of disinformation and false rumours."

Internet services were shut down for months in Manipur last year during the first outbreak of violence, which displaced around 60,000 people from their homes according to government figures.

Thousands of the state's residents are still unable to return home owing to ongoing tensions.

Hundreds of Meitei people in the state capital Imphal defied a curfew imposed earlier yesterday to demand security forces take action against Kuki insurgent groups, whom they blame for the latest spate of attacks.

Indian TV broadcasters showed the police firing tear gas in an effort to disperse the rally.

Student-led protests on Monday turned violent after the crowd threw stones and plastic bottles at security forces, police said in a statement.

Protesters in another district snatched arms from police and fired at them, the statement added.

The protests were motivated by a series of insurgent attacks using "improvised" projectile weapons and drone attacks that killed 11 people last week, in what police called a "significant escalation" of violence.

Long-standing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities revolve around competition for land and public jobs.

Rights activists have accused local leaders of exacerbating ethnic divisions for political gain.

Manipur is ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.