Several houses set afire in Manipur’s Jiribam in fresh outbreak of violence

JIRIBAM — In fresh violence in Manipur’s trouble-torn Jiribam district, several houses in Borobekra subdivision were set afire by unknown persons early on Friday, police said.

According to the police, a low-grade explosion was also reported from the area.

“Two makeshift houses in that area were razed by miscreants. Some abandoned makeshift houses and standalone homes were also burned down around 2.30 a.m. on Friday. The incident happened in the Bhutangkhal locality, the remotest part of the Borobekra subdivision,” Superintendent of Police, Jiribam, Maharbam P.S., told IANS.

Nearly 1,000 people belonging to the Meitei community in villages like Lamtaikhunou, Madhupur, Loukoipung, etc. under the Borobekra subdivision have taken refuge in seven shelter camps in Jiribam town after the district witnessed violence since June 6 in the wake of the killing of 59-year-old farmer, Soibam Saratkumar Singh.

On the other hand, around 600 Hmar-Kuki-Zomi tribal residents of Jiribam, which abuts Assam, have crossed the inter-state border and have taken shelter in the Cachar district of the neighbouring state.

Security has been bolstered in Jiribam with six companies of the CRPF, ten companies of the Assam Rifles, and the state Police and Village Defence Forces (VDF) deployed to maintain law and order in the area. The district administration has imposed Section 144 in the entire district.

Although several shops and business establishments were kept open on Friday in Jiribam town, few people came out of their residences as tension prevailed in the locality.