Suspected militants set homes on fire in Manipur's Jiribam
Suspected insurgents who came in three-four boats in a river in Manipur's Jiribam district attacked many police outposts and set homes on fire, police sources told NDTV. The attack started at 12.30 am in Jiribam's Chotobekra, on the banks of the Barak river, a police officer posted there told NDTV.
"Chotobekra outpost was burned down at 12.30 am," the officer said, adding the suspected insurgents then attacked the police outposts (OPs) in Lamtai Khunou and Modhupur.
Officials said more than 70 houses have been set on fire. A police officer said the worst-affected villages are Lamtai Khunou, Dibong Khunou, Nunkhal, and Begra in Jiribam district.
Jiribam is 220 km from the state capital Imphal and is on the border with Assam. National Highway-37 passes through this district. There are many Kuki villages in the hills surrounding the highway.
Another officer posted at a police OP in Borobekra in Jiribam subdivision, a few kilometres from Chotobekra, said the suspected insurgents began attacking this OP at 2.30 am.
"They came in boats, and attacked the OPs in the dark," the officer said, requesting anonymity.
The suspected insurgents attacked many villages along the river, police sources said. They confirmed the visuals of suspected insurgents setting homes on fire and celebrating on camera as from the attacks that happened this morning.
The Assam Rifles on Friday evacuated 250 members of the Meitei community living on the outskirts of Jiribam town, a day after ethnic tension flared up over the killing of a 59-year-old man, allegedly by Kuki insurgents.
Leishabithol, from where the Meitei families were evacuated, is near the hills where the Kuki tribes are dominant, while interior Jiribam has a large Meitei presence. Though no incident was reported from the area on Friday, the residents raised concern about their safety, which led to their evacuation, local administration officials in Jiribam had told NDTV.
The families can return once the situation cools down and enough security forces reach there, the officials said, adding there are not enough forces in the area as many had left for election duties.
Sources said Manipur Police commandos are being sent to Jiribam to counter the suspected insurgents.
Jiribam district is on the border with Assam and has a diverse ethnic composition. It had so far remained unaffected by the ethnic strife which has been raging in Manipur since May last year.