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Houses which were burnt down in Senapati district, Manipur on September 17.
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 17 (MExN): Senapati district in Manipur remained tense today as eighteen houses were reportedly burned down in an area disputed between the Northern Maram People’s Organization (NMPO) (ersthwhile Maram Khullen Circle Board) and Eshow Kahena of Makhan.
A press release from the Makhan Union (MU) condemned the incident alleging that the miscreants were armed with automatic weapons. It informed that the incident occurred along National Highway-2 between Makhan Khuman and New Makhan at around 4:30am, Tuesday.
“Residents were locked from outside...The houses were ransacked, looted and razed to the ground…” the MU alleged, adding that 25 households were affected and 18 houses were burnt.
The MU had called for a lightening strike on the NH-2 passing through the area earlier in the day. It was however lifted after assurance by the government to take up necessary action against the culprits involved within 72 hours. The assurance was made in the presence of Minister, N Kayisii; Minister, TA& H and Fishereies, A Kapani; Chairman, ADC Senapati, Somorjit Salam; DC, Senapati, K Pfokeh Mao; ADSP, Senapati, executive members and members, ADC Senapati, Naga People Organisation (NPO), Mao Council, and other frontal organisations.
It meanwhile questioned the “inaction and untimely intervention of 34th Assam Rifles, who were just 2.5 Kms away from the incident, police department and fire department.” The MU further called for punishment to all the culprits and proper compensation for the affected victims failing which the union will take up democratic agitation.
Meanwhile, a press release from the NMPO said that “today’s incident of demolishing the illegal house structures at the dispute area was a compelling expression of the unbearable and unacceptable position of the Northern Maram People’s Organization (Maram Khullen Circle) vis-à-vis to defend and protect our ancestral land and to thwart those attempts by certain elements to misplace our history and rights.”
The NMPO statement listed out the sequence of events over the disputed land, pointing to violent incidents where the newly established Naojai village was attacked. These previous actions, the NPMO stated, were violating the prohibitory order of the NPO. It further stated that the Senapati DC had issued prohibitory order at the spot and also within 1km radius of some nearby villages including Maram Bazar, Makhan Khuman and Makhan Centre.
It however alleged that since August 2019, “some persons of Makhan were found cutting land plots by engaging more than 10 JCBs, at the disputed site.”
It further claimed that the ongoing installation of High Power Tension Towers (122, 123, 124) “just below the ancestral Maram Khullen village was reportedly stopped few days back…”
