Manipur Minister's Godown Set Ablaze By Mob As Unrest Continues

A minister's private godown was set ablaze by a mob in Manipur a day before Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for an all-party meet.

Burnt remains of the godown of Manipur Minister L Sushildro Meitei after it was set ablaze by a mob in the Imphal East district. ( Image Source :PTI )

Amid the ongoing violence in Manipur, a mob set fire to a private godown which belonged to Minister of Public Health Engineering and Consumer Affairs L Susindro at Chingarel in the Imphal East district, on Friday night, PTI reported. The godown was reduced to ashes after the mob set it on fire. There was an attempt to torch another property which belonged to the minister at Khurai in the same district on Friday night but the security forces intervened at the right time to prevent it. They used tear gas shells until midnight to prevent the mob from gathering at Susindro’s Khurai residence. 

However, no casualty was reported from the incident. 

A similar incident occurred on the night of June 14, when the state cabinet minister Nemcha Kipgen’s house was set on fire by unidentified persons at Lamphel area in Imphal West district. Another attack was made on the house  belonging to Union Minister RK Ranjan Singh, the next day there were attempts to burn it down.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold an all-party meeting in Delhi on Saturday to discuss the situation in the violence-hit Manipur. The meeting will commence at 3 pm. Former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh will represent the Congress. 

The attacks began after clashes first broke out on May 3 following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

More than 100 people have lost their lives and a large number of houses were torched rendering many people homeless in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Nagas and Kukis are the tribal communities comprising the other 40 percent of the population and reside in the hill districts.