GUWAHATI: Fresh tension prevailed in trouble-torn Manipur on Saturday after three abandoned Meitei houses were allegedly set on fire near the Kanto Sabal area along the Imphal West-Kangpokpi border, prompting security forces to launch a major operation to prevent the situation from escalating.
Security sources said that the incident took place around 1:30 pm when residents working in paddy fields noticed smoke rising from the abandoned houses in Kanto Sabal. Soon after, a large crowd, estimated to be around 800-900 people, allegedly advanced from the Leimakhong side towards the border area, triggering the intervention of security forces.
To stop the crowd from moving forward and contain the situation, security personnel fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs. The operation was carried out along the Leimakhong and Kanto Sabal border areas while efforts were simultaneously made to douse the fire.
Indicating that several people were injured in police action, security sources said that they are yet confirm the exact number of casualties. No deaths have been reported so far.
Fire tenders and additional security personnel were deployed to the area to extinguish the blaze and prevent the violence from spreading. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region.
It is significant that hundreds of Kuki protesters last week marched towards the Meitei-majority village of Kanto Sabal, seeking to remove a joint Naga-Meitei checkpoint. The protest was linked to an ongoing economic blockade imposed by Naga groups, which demonstrators claimed had disrupted the supply of essential commodities, including food grains and medicines, to Kangpokpi district.
Police have registered a case in connection with Saturday’s arson, and an investigation is underway to identify those responsible for setting the abandoned houses on fire.
Asserting that security has been intensified across the affected areas, security sources said that state administration has stepped up deployment of forces and maintaining a strong presence to prevent any further escalation.
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