Churachandpur, Aug 31 (NDTV): The houses of Manipur's health minister and five other lawmakers were set on fire as violence erupted in south Manipur's Churachandpur town this evening over the Inner Line Permit Issue. The violence is still on, with the police using batons and tear gas to disperse the mob.

Groups opposed to the passing of three bills in the assembly -- that seek to regulate the entry of outsiders into the state through a permit system - went on rampage around 6 pm.

The lawmakers were targetted because none of them objected to the bill and allowed it to be passed, sources said. Their houses were set on fire and the mob prevented the police and fire engines from reaching the area. The minister and the lawmakers were reported to be safe.

Reports say the vehicle of Churachandpur Deputy Commissioner and his escort have also been torched.

"At the moment, we are having a tough time bringing the situation under control," said a senior officer.

One of the clauses in the bills passed today is to set 1951 as the base year to identify non-indigenous people, who are regarded as outsiders by a section. The new law decrees that those who settled in Manipur before 1951 can have property rights. The rest will have to give up property and may even be asked to leave.

The three main ethnic groups in Manipur -- the tribals, the Nagas and the Kukis -- have not backed the agitation, which has primarily been a demand of the Meiteis, who live predominantly in Imphal, the capital of Manipur.

Manipur has been witnessing violent agitations over the last three years for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit System.

The agitation is based on a belief that an influx of outsiders into the state has taken away jobs, and land from the indigenous people, unlike in states like neighbouring Nagaland, where the entry of outsiders is strictly regulated.