Manipur: Mobs attack houses of three ministers & six MLAs
Imphal: Mobs attacked the residences of at least three ministers and six MLAs, mostly of the ruling BJP, on Saturday after the recovery of the bodies of six missing women and children in violence-hit Jiribam district, officials said.
Police said that the mobs comprising men and women attacked the residences of ministers Sapam Ranjan Singh, Leishangthem Susindro Meitei and Yumnam Khemchand Singh in different places.
The mob also attacked the houses of six legislators, including that of Rajkumar Imo Singh, who is Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s son-in-law.
A large number of protestors gathered in front of the houses of many other ministers, legislators and political leaders in Imphal East and Imphal West districts.
One vehicle parked outside an MLA’s residence in Imphal was also torched.
Mob also gathered the houses of Janata Dal (United) MLA T Arun of Wangkhei constituency and BJP legislator Karam Shyam of Langthabal.
The security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters in different parts of Imphal city and its outskirts.
The widespread attacks, road blockades and protest demonstrations started after the news of the recovery of the bodies of six missing women and children in the violence-hit Jiribam district.
The bodies, which are not yet identified by the family members, are believed to be of the six women and children missing since November 11 in Jiribam district.
The bodies, found on Friday and Saturday, were brought to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
The dead bodies were found near the confluence of the Jiri and Barak rivers along the Manipur-Assam border on Friday evening and on Saturday.
As the widespread attacks and protests started, the concerned district authorities imposed a curfew for an indefinite period in Imphal East, West, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Kakching districts of Imphal valley “due to developing law and order situation”.
Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi in an order suspended the mobile internet and data services in seven districts — Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur — for two days from Saturday evening.
A large number of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), other paramilitary forces, and state police personnel have been deployed in all the places where fresh troubles broke out in different places of Manipur Valley districts after the news of the recovery of six bodies in Jiribam district, a police official said.