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Fresh violence erupts in Manipur, several houses burnt: Officials
In Serou, a mob also vandalised the house of Congress MLA K Ranjit Singh, officials said, adding that the legislator and his family escaped unhurt.
At least 100 houses in Serou village of Manipur’s Kakching district were set on fire by suspected militants on Sunday, amid heavy firing between militant groups and security forces was reports in other parts of the district, officials said.
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In Serou, a mob also vandalised the house of Congress MLA K Ranjit Singh, officials said, adding that the legislator and his family escaped unhurt.
Without giving a specific number, a senior police officer said, “The houses were abandoned because the residents of the houses have shifted to the government camps. The fire unit from Sugnu worked to douse the fire at the homes.”
The state has been convulsed by ethnic violence since May 3, with the bulk of the clashes between the Meitei community, which constitutes the majority of the state’s population and lives largely in Imphal, and the Kukis, who comprise 16% of the state and live largely in the hill districts.
“A group of militants also fired at a BSF team posted in the rural parts of the district. The personnel did not suffer any casualties, but we are trying to verify if there were any casualties on the side of the militants,” the officer cited above said on condition of anonymity.
The police suspect that for the attack on the BSF unit the militants used weapons stolen from their armories.
Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, security agencies have recovered 23 arms, taking the total number of weapons surrendered since Thursday to 202, officials said.
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The state police earlier told HT that at least 3,500 guns and over 500,000 ammunitions were stolen by violent mobs from the armories of the Manipur police after clashes broke out on May 3.
The ethnic violence that has engulfed various parts of the state has claimed 98 lives so far, and left 310 people injured. At least 4,000 cases of arson have been reported in the state where over 36,000 people have been displaced, officials have said.
