More violence in Manipur: Mobs try to torch houses of BJP leaders, dispersed by security forces

BJP office, houses of state BJP chief, minister, police station targeted

Flames and smoke billows out after an old warehouse owned by a retired bureaucrat set ablaze amid violence in Manipur, at Palace Compound in Imphal East district. (PTI)

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A DAY after a Union minister’s home was set on fire in Imphal, attempts were made to torch the houses of Manipur BJP president A Sharda Devi and state cabinet minister Th Biswajit Singh on Friday night. The security forces, however, dispersed the mobs.

In separate incidents, automatic gunfire was reported from Kwakta, at the border of Bishnupur district in the valley, and Kangvai, in Churachandpur district in the hills, through the night.

In Imphal, which has remained tense for the past three nights, multiple incidents of mob build-up, including attempts to target the BJP office, residences of BJP leaders and a police station, were reported.

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According to sources, a huge mob gathered near Thongju, in Imphal East, at about 10.40 pm on Friday and attempted to vandalise the residence of BJP Minister Biswajit Singh. The mob was dispersed by Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel.

There were at least two other instances of mob build-up. While a mob of 200-300 people reportedly gathered around the BJP office at Singjamei in Imphal a little after midnight, there was a separate attempt to vandalise the residence of state BJP president A Sharda Devi in Imphal West. In both instances, the crowd was dispersed by Army and RAF personnel.

A mob torched a warehouse belonging to a retired IAS officer from the tribal community. There was also an attempt to loot the Iringbam police station close to midnight, which was again foiled by the RAF.

A second wave of violence has been raging in Manipur since May 28, and while it has primarily been in the form of arson and shootings in border areas between the Kuki-dominated hills and the Meitei-dominated valley, there have been recurring attacks and attempted attacks on the residences and official quarters of elected representatives.

On Wednesday evening, BJP MLA and state cabinet minister Nemcha Kipgen’s official quarters was set on fire in Imphal West. On Thursday night, Union MoS for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh’s residence in Imphal East district was set on fire – there was an earlier attempt on May 25 too.

Police personnel at Union Minister of State for External Affairs R K Ranjan Singhs residence in Imphal, Friday, June 16, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Among the other representatives whose houses have been targeted are: Manipur PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam, Uripok MLA Raghumani Singh, Sugnoo MLA K Ranjit Singh, and Naoriya Pakhanglakpa MLA S Kebi Devi.

Minister Biswajit Singh said he was “totally confused” by the course of events. “Despite whatever has happened, we have to live together. My humble appeal to all the people is to calm down and let us move forward towards a solution to bring back peace and tranquility,” he said, adding that the matter is “too sensitive” for further comments.

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Meanwhile, the Imphal West police registered an FIR on charges of sedition and “promoting enmity between groups”, over an article which said the Assam Rifles was responsible for the crisis in Manipur. The FIR was registered based on a complaint by V P Srivastav, Second-in-Command, Camp Commandant, HQ IGAR (S), against Jagat Thoudam, Advisor to Indigenous People’s Front of Manipur, for the article which appeared in ‘The Frontier Manipur’ on May 31.