Six arsonists held in ethnic violence-hit Manipur

Thousands of houses have been burnt across the state since May 3 when ethnic clashes between Kukis and dominant Meiteis began

The Manipur Police late on Monday said they have arrested six people for their alleged involvement in arson at Langol in Imphal West a day earlier. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), police said the six, who were not named, set afire four abandoned homes, a hut, and one community hall.

Police said assailants set afire four abandoned homes, a hut, and one community hall on Sunday. (PTI/Representative)

Thousands of houses have been burnt across the state since May 3 when ethnic violence between Kukis and dominant Meiteis began. On Friday, a former parliamentarian’s house was set on fire in Imphal.

The violence has left over 50000 people displaced and over 150 dead. Some of the displaced from border towns such as Moreh fled to Myanmar. Around 400 such displaced people have been brought back.

Arms and ammunition were separately recovered in searches in the Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi, and Bishnupur districts. “07 (seven) arms and 81 (eighty-one) ammunitions from Imphal East, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal districts,” the Manipur Police said in a post on X.

At least 4000 arms have been reported looted from armouries of police stations since May 3. Police have been able to recover around 1200 arms.