Suspected Kuki militants set ablaze six Meitei houses, including a Liangmai Naga house in Leimakhong Chingmang, Imphal West District on Sunday night around 11:45 and fired gunshots throughout the night.
Leimakhong Chingmang is located adjacent to the military base of Leimakhong neighbouring Kangpokpi and Imphal West district.
As per reports, personnel of the 20th JAT Regiment got injured in the gun attack carried out by the Kuki militants in Kanto Sabal Leikai area. Village volunteers of Kanto Sabal Leikai also retaliated at the attack.
According to reports, the Kuki militants attacked from Leimakhong Chingmang, Champhai (Misihoubi), Bengnom and Khenjang villages.
Owner of the houses which were burnt down are 53-year-old Pebam Premkumar, son of (L) P. Munal; 45-year-old Pebam Shanti, son of (L) Munal; 44-year-old Angom Raju, son of (L) Mangi; 33-year-old Wahengbam Ritu, daughter of (L) Joy; 45-year-old Louriyam Tomba, son of Leira Singh - all from Leimakhong Chingmang and 50-year-old AB. Akhon of Konsa Khunou.
It may be mentioned that the villagers of Leimakhong Chingmang have been taking shelter in the relief camps opened at Khurkhul Leirijao Upper Primary School and Khurkhul Awang Leikai Community Hall since the night of May 3, 2023. Around 155 inmates are taking shelter in the relief camps.
According to the inmates, they came out of their houses without any belongings except for the clothes they wore. They also condemned the local MLA for failing to look into the problems faced by the inmates till date.
The inmates also alleged the central forces of supporting the Kuki militants as the Meites were halted from entering the site where houses were burnt down, said the reports.
Meanwhile, unknown miscreants set ablaze two houses in the ex-servicemen colony in Leimakhong on Sunday at around 10:30 am. However, the locals managed to save a house from the fire.
Reacting to the burning of a Liangmei house at Leimakhong Chingmang, the Liangmai Naga Council-Eastern Zone has strongly condemned the attack warning that such actions could escalate communal tensions and further worsen the already unstable situation in Manipur.
According to the owner of the house, Akhon Liangmai the house was tagged with the sign of “Liangmai Naga”.
"The Kuki miscreants intentionally burnt down my house despite knowing it belong to Liangmai Naga," said Akhon, expressing her anguish while speaking to the media at Manipur Press Club in Imphal.
She pointed out that neighbouring houses belonging to the Kuki community were left untouched in the attack.
Akhon further emphasised that the Liangmai Nagas have remained neutral throughout the crisis and denounced the intentional destruction of her property.
It is reported that four other houses belonging to the Meetei community were also arson on the same night in Leimakhong Chingmang, which is a diverse settlement accommodating various ethnic groups.
Alleging that despite the presence of central security forces in the area, they failed to intervene during the attack, she also reported that several tag signs identifying Liangmai Naga houses in Leimakhong Chingmang were also torn down by the Kuki miscreants.
Expressing her sadness at being victimized despite belonging to the Naga community, which has maintained a neutral stance, Akhon appealed to the government for immediate intervention and the restoration of peace. She highlighted the dire circumstances her family now faces without a home.
Chairman of the Liangmai Naga Council-Eastern Zone, Loveson Chawang, expressed concern that targeting a Naga house intentionally, fully aware of its Naga ownership, could ignite communal tensions.
He urged all parties involved to refrain from attacking any Naga houses in the future and expressed discontent with the current situation.
Chawang blamed both the central and state governments for their failure to address the ongoing crisis, which has persisted for over 45 days, and called upon the authorities to initiate dialogue between the Meetei and Kuki communities as a crucial step toward restoring peace in the region.
