Imphal/New Delhi: In fresh violence reported from Manipur, two houses on Thursday afternoon were set on fire by a mob at the New Checkon area in Imphal, officials said. The security forces, which tried to quell the mob, fired tear gas shells at the mob, they added.
The Army and the Assam Rifles have intensified their area domination operations in the area after a spurt in violence in the strife-torn state. This incident of the two houses being set ablaze comes after some miscreants set on fire the official quarters of woman Manipur minister Nemcha Kipgen in the Lamphel area in Imphal West district on Wednesday night. Firefighters reached the spot and doused the flames before the blaze could spread to the neighbourhood.
On Tuesday night, nine persons, including women, were killed and 10 others injured after some miscreants opened fire inside a church in East Imphal in the Khamenlok area in East Imphal.
Also read: Manipur minister's official quarters torched after nine killed in attack
Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Narendra Modi-led government saying it was not taking immediate measures to ensure the safety of the people in Manipur.
"The situation in Manipur is very distressing, and it is deeply disheartening to see that the Central government is not taking immediate measures to ensure the safety of the people of Manipur and the restoration of peace," Priyanka Gandhi said in a Tweet.
Over 100 have been killed in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki community people in the northeastern state that broke out a month ago. Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals - Nagas and Kukis - constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Manipur and announced a series of measures to restore peace in the area, after meeting with members of various communities. He had announced the formation of a Peace Committee under the Manipur Governor. The Centre has already announced ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh, to the kin of those, who were killed in the violence.
