Imphal: Tension flared up in Manipur once again after a mob of around 600 people marched towards Kanto Sabal village on the morning of July 11 and set fire to three empty houses belonging to the Meitei community.
According to the Manipur Police, security forces deployed in the area intervened immediately, stopping the crowd and preventing a major communal clash. While the forces successfully thwarted the mob’s attempts to burn down more abandoned houses, three structures were damaged. Police confirmed that no casualties were reported in the incident.
A case has been registered, and legal action is underway as security forces work to restore law and order. Kanto Sabal is a village primarily inhabited by Naga and Meitei communities.
To control the deteriorating situation and disperse the crowd, security forces used tear gas shells and smoke bombs. Several individuals sustained injuries during the action, though the exact number remains unconfirmed.
Local residents stated they had received prior information that members of the Kuki community were planning a protest from the Leimakhong side. Since it is currently the paddy cultivation season, a large number of Kanto Sabal residents were out working in their fields but remained on high alert.
“Around 1:30 PM, we first spotted smoke,” a local resident said. “Initially, we thought the protesters were burning tyres. It was only later that we realized the smoke was coming from the empty houses that had been set on fire.”
The incident comes a week after hundreds of Kuki protesters marched towards Kanto Sabal from Leimakhong, attempting to remove checkpoint gates. The protesters were demanding the lifting of an ongoing economic blockade imposed by Naga groups, alleging that it has caused a severe shortage of food grains, medicines, and other essential items in Kangpokpi district.
Massive Hunt for Killers of Assam Rifles Personnel
Meanwhile, security forces launched a massive combing operation across residential areas and forests in Ukhrul district on Friday to track down those responsible for the killing of two Assam Rifles personnel earlier this week.
Officials on Saturday said the joint operation was launched in the Nungshang area by the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), and Manipur Police.
The Assam Rifles stated that the joint teams are scanning residential zones and adjacent forests to locate the perpetrators, recover hidden weapon caches, and ensure the safety of the local population. On July 6, Warrant Officer Balwant Singh and Havildar CM Singh were killed after suspected militants ambushed an Assam Rifles convoy at Nungshong Khong under the Ukhrul police station limits.
