Mokokchung, 27 August (MTNews): The city of Imphal was struck by a fresh wave of violence on Sunday, as reports emerged of three houses being set on fire and assault rifles being stolen from security personnel. This unsettling incident occurred merely two days before a scheduled assembly session in the strife-torn state of Manipur, according to officials.
Sources indicate that “unidentified miscreants set three abandoned houses ablaze in the New Lambulane area of Imphal West district on Sunday afternoon,” revealed a senior district police officer in a statement to Hindustan Times. The officer further disclosed that in an attempt to thwart a mob’s attempt to enter New Lambulane — a locality primarily dominated by the Kuki community within the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley—security personnel deployed several rounds of tear gas shells.
Meanwhile, in the Sagolband Bijoy Govinda area of Imphal district, unidentified individuals forcibly seized two AK-series assault rifles and a carbine from security guards assigned to former state health director K Rajo, as conveyed by a second police officer quoted by Hindustan Times.
These instances of arson and weapon looting have cast a cloud of uncertainty over the upcoming one-day monsoon session of the state assembly, scheduled to convene on Tuesday. It may be noted that ten Kuki Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), transcending party affiliations, have previously expressed reluctance to attend the assembly session.