Arsonists rampant in Imphal valley; Houses including Cabinet Minister's residence torched, Shutdown of Internet continues

As the Manipur violence flared up again following the 3-days majority community's intermittent aggression on minority tribals in Khamenlok area, under Saikul Sub-Division, Kangpokpi district, arsoning of houses and official residence continued unabated in Imphal valley.

On June 14 at about 5:30 PM, the official quarter of Nemcha Kipgen was burnt down by a mob. Nemcha Kipgen, who belongs to Kuki-Zo community, was one of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and she is the lone woman cabinet minister in the BJP-led Manipur Government. The official residence was located in the heart of Imphal city at Lamphel, Imphal West district.

As per sources, at around 4:00 PM, a large mob began to storm the abandoned quarters located at PDA Complex, Lamphel Supermarket, and started arsoning the belongings of the quarters in open space. The mob burnt down the official residence of Nemcha Kipgen.

A team of Lamphel police rushed to the spot along with the Rapid Action Forces and fired tear gas shells and mock bombs towards the mob to control the situation. After the mob was dispersed, Manipur Fire Service rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire.

Earlier, the Lee Faith School, situated at Paite Veng, Imphal, near Imphal Airport, was torched and destroyed. Some other houses belonging to Kuki-Zo community were also burnt down and destroyed allegedly by the Radical Meitei Mobs and Radical Meitei Militants (Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun) in different other places.

In the latest development to the ongoing Manipur violence, a mob in New Checkon area burnt down at least two houses located in New Lambulane and New Checkon Bazar, near Covenant Public School, under Imphal East district today, June 15. The houses belong to Kuki-Zo community. New Checkon area falls under one of the high security zone in Imphal city.

As per sources, the incident occurred at around 1:30 PM, where a large mob gathered at New Checkon area and entered New Lambulane, a Kuki inhabited locality, to the Southern entry road and torched the house. The mob again set ablaze another house next to Covenant English School, New Checkon.

The police resorted to tear gas shells to disperse the mob and thereafter, the fire service came in to extinguish the fire. A woman was reportedly injured during the incident. Pelting of stones and bombarding of teargas shells are ongoing, sources said.

Meanwhile, Manipur Government has continued total shutdown of internet services in Manipur for five more days so as to curb the transmission of inflammatory material and false rumours through social media platforms.

The Government of Manipur has issued an order to suspend internet and mobile data services in the state for another 5 more days till June 20.

The decision came in light of reports of incidents of violence, attacks, and arson, raising concerns about the potential misuse of social media to incite public passion and disrupt the law and order situation.