Manipur violence: Eight vehicles torched in Senapati

According to reports, angry mob torched eight vehicles in Senapati district.

“The mob torched two vehicles at Seijang PHC area which run towards Imphal to Liangmei tapei village,” a police official said.
                                                                                                
Seijang is situated under Lamlai police station on Imphal-Ukhrul road and inhabited by both Tangkhul Nagas and Meeteis.

Angry mob also torched six other vehicles in different parts of Senapati district.

On Dec 18, at least 40 vehicles incuding private cars, buses were torched in some places in Manipur’s Imphal East district by angry mob as they protested against the Naga economic blockade.

Meanwhile, indefinite curfew was imposed in Imphal East District, which was effected from Sunday 12-30 pm until further order, under section 144 of CrPC by  Imphal East District Magistrate Ningthoujam Geoffrey amid reports of volatile situations prevailing along the Imphal-Ukhrul road under Porompat and Sawomgbung sub-division.

A top official of Manipur police said that curfew covered up to the whole stretch of road from Lamlong to Yaingangpokpi and 300 meters on the either side of the road under  Porompat and Sawongbung sub-division.

However, in case of emergencies, for person desirous to take religious or marriage procession, or funeral within the scheduled areas, might apply from prior permission to the Superintendent of Police or District Magistrate.

On the other hand, mobile internet services were snapped till Dec 25 in Imphal East and Imphal West district.

Meanwhile, Nagaland based student organisation Naga Students Federation imposed indefinite economic blockade on all Manipur bound vehicles.

In a statement sent to media, the student organization declared indefinite blockade on all Manipur bound vehicles.

The student organization accused the Manipur government for present crisis in the state and said that the blockade will not be lifted till the assurance for safety of Nagas.

On the other hand, Naga Hoho appealed the people of both Naga and Meitei community to maintain peace.

“God created Meitei and Naga to co-exist. This coexistence is to continue till the end of the world. Now the question is, "Shall we fight one another till the end of the world?". Please, let us look up to the will and wishes of our Almighty God, the Creator of Meitei and Naga. God never likes His children to fight against one another but He likes Meitei and Naga to love one another, to help one another, to support one another and to live in a peaceful co-existence. We see a ray of hope; hope of possibility for Naga and Meitei for their peaceful coexistence as good neighbours if we start from the original reality of Meitei and Naga. The original reality tells us about the people, about their land and about their land boundaries. Nagas and Meiteis are Indigenous Peoples according to the term and definition of the United Nation. The occupation of their land was neither a question of force occupation, nor a question of invasion but Meitei and Naga as the first occupiers of their land in the virgin land of Imphal valley area and the virgin land of hill areas respectively,” Naga Hoho said in a statement.

The law and order situation turned more violent in Manipur after protesters on Sunday had torched more than 40 vehicles in Imphal East district.

Protesters were demonstrating against the economic blockade by NSCN(IM) , United Naga Council (UNC) and recent attacks on police laid by militants.

NSCN(IM) and UNC had called economic blockade following the state government’s announcement of formation of seven new districts.

Following the state government’s announcement of formation of the new districts, suspected NSCN(IM) militants had attacked on Manipur police four times in past 72-hours.

In the militant attacks, at least four policemen were killed and eight others were injured.

Nearly 70 suspected militants of NSCN(IM) attacked the two post of Manipur Rifles and 7th Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) of Manipur police in Manipur’s newly created district Noney on Saturday.

The incident took place at Nungkao near Jiribam at around 11 am and the militant group also snatched at least 20 loaded weapons of the security personnel.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)