Manipur violence: 25 more houses set ablaze in Kangpokpi a day after 10 homes torched

The fresh arson was reported in Tiporam village, where residents said five of the houses belonged to members of the Nepali community.

At least 25 more houses were set ablaze in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Wednesday, a day after armed individuals allegedly torched 10 houses and injured a villager along the Imphal-Tamenglong road, police said.

The villagers of Tiporam, who were earlier evacuated to Makui, 15 km away from Tiporam, following the violence

The fresh arson was reported in Tiporam village, where residents said five of the houses belonged to members of the Nepali community.

“Today 25 houses were set ablaze and they subsequently left the area. Among the 25 houses 5 belonged to Nepali community,” a resident of Tiporam, requesting anonymity, said.

On Monday, a group of armed individuals attacked Teikhang Kuki village, killing three individuals, including two women, and injuring four others. The officer said the attack was followed by gunfire, which lasted till around 12.30pm.

According to police, at least 10 houses were set ablaze, while an excavator, a Gypsy, a pickup truck and a truck were found to be damaged during the arson on Tuesday. The police identified the injured person as N Luithuibou, a 49-year-old man who sustained bullet injuries to his right abdomen and hand. Locals identified the injured man as a church pastor.

The villagers of Tiporam, who were earlier evacuated to Makui, 15 km away from Tiporam, following the violence, had reportedly returned to the village on Tuesday and were allegedly fired upon.

The residents alleged that although information about houses being set on fire was conveyed to security forces, no action was taken till Wednesday. However, the allegations could not be independently verified. Security forces and authorities are yet to comment on the allegations.

The ethnic clashes in Manipur first began between the Meitei and Kuki communities before involving almost every community. The state’s Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities shut each other out from the areas they dominate since ethnic clashes began in May 2023, leaving at least 260 people dead and displacing 60,000.

The Meiteis, mostly Hindu, live largely in the Imphal Valley. The Kukis, predominantly Christian, reside in the hills. The state government has maintained that there are no buffer zones dividing communities in the state, but it has identified certain sensitive areas.

A new government was formed in February, nearly a year after the imposition of President’s Rule. It includes representatives from all three major communities as part of an attempt to maintain ethnic balance.