Imphal: A major fire broke out at a deserted building near the Manipur civil secretariat complex, police headquarters and Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's official bungalow here on late Saturday evening, raising the security alarm, an official said. The building is just a few hundred metres from the official bungalow of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
An alert was sounded following the incident as it happened in the vicinity of the residence of CM Biren Singh, whose convoy en route to tension-gripped Jiribam from Imphal, came under attack from armed militants in the Kangpokpi district last Monday. A security person from Manipur Police and a civil driver were injured in the attack.
The official said that three fire tenders were pressed into service, following which the blaze was doused late on Saturday evening. No casualties have been reported so far. The reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained, a senior police officer said.
The reason for the fire in the private abandoned building is yet to be ascertained, an official said.
The building belonged to the family of late IAS officer T Kipgen, former chief secretary of Goa. The house has been abandoned since violence broke out in Manipur last year, officials said.
According to the officials, fire broke out in a deserted building close to the erstwhile headquarters of the Kuki Inpi, the apex body of the Kuki tribe, who deserted the building after the ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state in May last year.
Manipur has remained gripped by recurring bouts of violence since ethnic clashes between Kuki and Meitei communities erupted on May 3, 2023. Over 219 people have been killed in the violence.
Meiteis account for about 53% of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40% and reside mainly in the hill districts.
CM Biren cancels viloence-hit Jiribam visit
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has cancelled his plan to visit the violence-hit Jiribam which was announced earlier, the Advance Security team of the CM left Jiribam on Saturday with heavy state security which included two armoured bullet/ mine bomb proof Cassipers. The reason for the cancellation of CM's tentative programme is not yet known, but it is speculated that it might be due to the bad weather at Jiribam which had kept on changing and it was constantly raining.
The Senior Superintendent of Police Jiribam saw off the leaving of the carcade at Leingangpokpi Village. The motorcade left ahead of the goods truck which had been stranded at Jiribam also left for Imphal under the tight security escort by the 109 Bn CRPF team.
In all 107 goods trucks comprising of Oil Tanker, Gas Bullet, FCI Rice as well as essential commodities. Earlier, Singh condemned the dastardly attacks on his security personnel after his convoy was allegedly attacked by armed miscreants in Manipur's Kotlen.
"I strongly condemn the dastardly attacks on the security personnel who are carrying out their duties day and night in service of the state and the country," Singh said in a post on 'X'.
The Chief Minister paid a visit to the injured security personnel at the hospital and said that the miscreants will be brought to justice. "Visited the injured security personnel who are being treated at Shija hospital. They were ambushed on the way to Jiribam by armed miscreants. The assailants will be brought to justice," he added.
Two policemen, including the driver of the vehicle, were injured in the incident. The security team had gone to Jiribam to prepare for the visit of Singh. Reacting to the incident, Biren Singh called it "highly condemnable" and said that it is considered as an attack on the "people of the state". "It is very unfortunate and highly condemnable. It is an attack directly on the Chief Minister, means directly on the people of the state. So, the state Government has to do something. So, I will take a call from all of my colleagues and we will take a decision," Biren Singh told reporters. Biren Singh was expected to visit Jiribam after reports of fresh violence in the area. According to Manipur Police, several houses belonging to both Meitei and Kuki communities were burnt by unknown miscreants in Kotlen following the murder of a person. Around 600 people from Manipur's Jiribam area are now taking shelter in Assam's Cachar district following fresh violence reported in Manipur's Jiribam area. The Cachar district police have heightened security along the bordering areas. (With agency inputs)
