At least five abandoned houses were set ablaze by unknown armed individuals in Kailenjang village in Manipur’s Senapati district on Monday, police said.
According to police, the incident occurred around 1.30pm at Kailenjang village located about 5km west of Senapati police station. Police said unknown individuals set fire to around five houses in the Kuki village before fleeing the area.
“The village remained abandoned since the 1992 Naga-Kuki conflict over land issues. During that time around eight to ten households were displaced and the Kuki villagers resettled in the village before 2023,” said a senior police officer requesting anonymity.
“However, as the ongoing Naga-Kuki-Zo conflict escalated following a twin ambush on May 13 in Noney and Kangpokpi districts of Manipur, which killed four individuals, and the alleged abduction and killing of six Nagas by a Kuki group, the Kuki villagers of Kailenjang village were again displaced and took shelter at Taphou Kuki village in Senapati district,” he added.
Police said those involved in Monday’s arson incident have yet to be identified.
Later, a team from Assam Rifles rushed to the scene to investigate the incident. However, most of the abandoned houses were found to be damaged.
Locals in the area told HT, “No gunfire was heard during the incident.”
{{/usCountry}}Locals in the area told HT, “No gunfire was heard during the incident.”
{{/usCountry}}Demanding justice for six Nagas, the United Naga Council (UNC), a Naga apex body, imposed an indefinite inter-district economic blockade since May 17 in all Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur. In retaliation, the Working Committee of Kuki Civil Society Organisations launched a counter inter-district economic blockade starting from July 26 midnight.
Meanwhile, the Manipur government and a delegation of UNC held the first round of talks on Monday at Taphou village to lift the ongoing economic blockade along the state’s national highways.
The development followed chief minister Yumnam Khemchand’s visit to Kangpokpi district on July 8. During the visit, Khemchand along with deputy chief minister Nemcha Kipgen jointly announced the immediate reopening of national highways for free movement of all communities.
The meeting failed to bring an amicable solution. However, the UNC informed that the meeting discussed several agendas for the restoration of peace in the state.
The ethnic clashes in Manipur began between the Meitei and Kuki communities before involving almost every community. The state’s Meitei and the Kuki-Zo communities shut each other out from the areas they dominate since ethnic clashes began in May 2023 and left at least 260 people dead and displaced 60,000.