Imphal, June 06 2010: An out residence of the state Congress chief, Gaikhangam at Tamenglong district headquarters along with a car was set on fire by miscreants suspected to be ADC protestors in the wee hour of today, police as well as local sources said.

Around 10 to 15 miscreants, with their faces masked, set on fire the multi-storeyed out-building of the president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), located at Tamenglong district headquarter at about 12.30 last midnight.

However, the building was saved from total destruction by the locals of the surrounding areas.

The MPCC chief hails originally from Khoupum village which is bordering with Churachandpur and far away from Tamenglong district headquarter.

Furniture and other items in the building where only a house keeper resided were reduced to ashes.

Properties worth several lakhs have been damaged, police, who could not immediately ascertained the value of properties lost, said.

The miscreants also set on fire a car (MN04-1150) parked at the garage of the house, the source said.

Locals sources said that they could see 10 to 15 persons, with their faces masked, running no sooner had the fire broke out.

Police and fire fighters who swung into action could put the fire under control before escalating to the neighbouring residences.

Police suspected the arson act to be related with the boycott to the ADC elections which coincided with the MLA's refusal to tender resignation as an MLA of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, as a representative of the Naga people.

Mention may be made that residence of the Manipur Tribal Development minister, DD Thaisii at TNK village in Senapati district had also been set on fire by miscreants on June 2 last, reducing properties worth several lakhs of rupees to ashes.

Besides, houses of over 20 ADC candidates had so far been ransacked by suspected boycott supporters across the four Naga dominated hill districts in the recent time for defying their diktat to retire from candidatures.