16 forest offices torched in Kuki area
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 16 2023:
As many as 16 forest offices located in Kuki inhabited areas were targeted and burnt on a single day on May 3, the day on which ATSUM organised tribal solidarity march.
According to an informed source, the forest offices damaged or torched on May 3 were in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal districts, which is dominated by Kuki com-munity.
Physical files, documents, maps, furniture, tools and equipment of these forest offices were reduced to ashes in the arson.
Seven forest offices were burnt in Churachandpur district and they in-clude the DFO office in Baijang, forest beat offices in Saikot, Mata Moltam, Mualum, S Kwatlian and Singhat, and forest range office in Tuilungjam (Henglep) .
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The rally participants also vandalised and set on fire official documents, files and other properties in front of the range office though the building was spared apparently to protect residential houses adjacent to the forest office.
Five forest offices were burnt down in Kangpokpi district and they in-clude DFO office & forest range office in Motbung, forest beat offices in Sapermeina and Kotlien and for-est range offices in Kangpokpi and Saikul.
At the same time, two offices in Tengnoupal - forest range office and forest IB office (old) in Moreh were set ablaze on May 3.A mob also attacked and attempted to burn the DFO office Jiribam on May 3 around 8.30 pm but security forces, forest officials and local residents foiled the bid.
On the same day, a violent mob burnt gate and furniture of the forest beat office located at Phougakchao in Bishnupur district.
Apart from these, on April 29, a group of violent mob burnt forest range office located at Tuibong in Churachandpur district while on May 4 around 8 pm, a group of mob at-tacked and vandalised DFO office in Tengnoupal district, the source added.
Mention may be made that the state government launched crackdown on illegal poppy plantation and evicting of illegal encroachers from reserved and protected forest areas.