Houses destroyed in land dispute row in Senapati village
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 03, 2013:
Nearly 36 houses in Silent Khul (village) have been burnt down and properties worth crores of rupees destroyed after people from a neighbouring village went on the rampage today morning.
Information culled from the spot of incident suggest that the attack was carried out at around 10.30 am with the attackers armed with sharp weapons.
A Maruti Van, Power tiller, granaries and a rice mill are also among the assets destroyed by the attackers.
Settled by about 500 people and having about 70 households, Silent village falls under Senapati district but is within the jurisdiction of Lamlai police station.
To take stock of the situation, a large number of security personnel led by Imphal East district Superintendent of Police Angam Romanus Kamei rushed to Silent village and were seen involved in dousing the fire in addition to mollifying the distraught villagers.
Personnel of fire service department also reached the spot of incident and put out the smouldering debris.
Later Saikul Assembly Constituency MLA Yam-thong Haokip, IGP (LO-I) L Kailun and DIG (Range-I) Clay Khongsai also arrived at the spot.
According to some Silent village villagers, the attackers hailing from the neighbouring Seijang village, insisted that the land where Silent village stands belongs to Seijang village.
Silent villagers claimed that settlement in the village started since about 50 years back.
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Asking Silent villagers to vacate the area immediately, the attackers went on the rampage dismantling and torching houses besides hacking pigs and fowls, the villagers told media persons.
Conceding that a land dispute exist between Silent and Seijang villages, Silent village chief Homprang said the land ownership case is currently in the office of SDO, Kangpokpi.
Lamenting that even as the land dispute case has been going on for the last 30 years the attackers seem to disregard legal formality by launching the offensive today, Homprang informed that hearing on the case is supposed to be conducted on May 6. Strongly condemning the unwarranted attack, he also repented delay in the arrival of the local MLA and Lamlai police personnel inspite of being informed about the attack.
Interacting with media persons at the spot, DIG Clay Khongsai said that police received information on the incident at around 12.30 pm.
Expressing that had the information been conveyed in time atleast the damage caused could have been minimised, he said that police and 16 Assam Rifles personnel would be deployed at Silent village to prevent recurrence of such incident.
Clay also informed that for the time being the affected families would be sheltered at the relief camp opened in the village church.