Fresh violence in Manipur as five Meitei homes torched in Imphal West

Fresh tensions flared in Manipur on Saturday, July 11 after at least five abandoned houses belonging to members of the Meitei community were allegedly set on fire at Kanto Sabal in Imphal West district during a protest march by members of the Kuki community.

According to local accounts, a large number of protesters from neighbouring Kangpokpi district marched towards Kanto Sabal, a peripheral village located along the boundary between Imphal West and Kuki-dominated areas of Kangpokpi. The incident reportedly took place at around 12.30 pm, when at least five Meitei houses were allegedly torched, reigniting tensions in the conflict-hit region.

Following the arson, residents from nearby valley areas and families whose houses were burnt attempted to reach the affected site. However, they were allegedly stopped by the Army, central armed police forces and state security personnel, leading to a confrontation. Security forces reportedly fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd and prevent further escalation.

One of the affected residents, L. Bijeta, alleged that the houses were burnt despite the presence of a heavy security deployment in the area. She claimed that an Army garrison and a temporary security outpost were located close to the affected houses but failed to prevent the incident.

"Since the beginning of the ethnic conflict, my family has been staying in a relief camp while our house remained abandoned. We had been assured by the security forces that our property would remain safe. Despite those assurances, our house was burnt today," she alleged.

Bijeta further claimed that the protesters entered the valley-side portions of Kanto Sabal, where displaced Meitei families had been unable to return, and set the abandoned houses on fire before retreating.

She also alleged that when local residents attempted to move towards the site after witnessing the blaze, they were prevented from doing so by security personnel instead of being allowed to protect their properties.

The incident has once again heightened tensions in the sensitive border areas between Imphal Valley and the adjoining hill districts. There was no immediate official statement from the state government or security agencies regarding the incident or the allegations made by the affected families.

The latest episode comes amid continuing efforts by security forces to maintain law and order in Manipur, where ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities has displaced thousands of people since May 2023.