Fresh violence breaks out, Ex-MLA detained
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 22 2023: Fresh violence broke out in New Checkon area of Imphal East district on Mon-day after some armed persons threatened elderly women vendors not to ply their wares without their permission.

As soon as news of the threat spread, people of other communities came out and challenged them.

The irate mob also beat up one of the miscreants while the others managed to run away.

In connection with the in-cident, at least three persons, including a former MLA, have been taken into custody by the police.

Fresh violence breaks out, Ex-MLA detained

As words spread about the threat to the women ven-dors, locals congregated in the market area demanding arrest of the armed persons and appropriate legal actions against them.

Amid the chaos, some unidentified miscreants set ablaze already damaged and abandoned houses while three journalists, who were covering the incident, and five fire fighters, trying to put out the fire, were injured after army personnel posted there assaulted them.

According to eyewitness ac-counts, some suspected Kuki militants threatened elderly women vendors at the local market at gun point and asked them to vacate the market stat-ing that they cannot carry out trade without their permis-sion.

Fearing for their lives, the women vendors fled the market and raised an alarm.

As the number of locals started to swell, Imphal East district police and central se-curity forces rushed into the spot and carried out search op-eration during which the three persons including ex-MLA TT Haokip were arrested and two single barrel guns recovered.

In the meantime, more peo-ple from the surrounding areas gathered but were dispersed by the security forces.

Amid the chaos, unidentified miscre-ants torched some damaged and abandoned houses near Brighter Academy School and Haokip Veng.

Soon, fire fighters of Ma-nipur Fire Service arrived to douse the blaze.

However, they were assaulted by personnel of 16 Jat Regiment, in which one leading fireman, one sub-offi-cer, one driver and two firemen were injured.

Theist Regiment personnel also assaulted three journalists, who were covering the incident.

Consequent to the incident, district administra-tion Imphal East shortened the curfew relaxation hour to 1 pm.

On the other hand, a gov-ernment statement said that around 12.25 pm, about three Kuki miscreants suspected to be possessing arms had in-timidated the locals includ-ing Meetei, Kabui and Meitei Pangal not to open shops in the tribal market, New Checkon saying that the land belongs to the Kuki only.

Shopkeepers had heated argument with the three miscreants and reported the matter to police.

The situation was brought under control by Imphal East district police and RAF personnel.

Three persons, namely former MLA of Henglep AC T Thangzalan Haokip (71) son of late Thaongzachin Haokip, Johnlalk-hopao Gangte (19), son of Mary Gangte, and Vicky Mangoulam Singson (35) son of Thanna Singson all of New Lambulane, Checkon were picked up along with two SBBL guns by Imphal East district police in connection with the incident.

As the agitated mob burned down three houses in the area, senior officers including ADGP (L&O), IGP Zone-1 and SP Imphal East rushed to the spot.

Fire tenders controlled the fire.

Curfew relaxation in Imphal East has been shortened from 4 am to 1 pm in Imphal East and 4 am to 2 pm in Imphal East, the government statement added.

The Tribal Market is a popular market area for vendors of all communities including the Kabui Naga, Meitei and Meitei Pangals.

As the clash ensued, army personnel de-ployed in the area used force and fired teargas shells to disperse the mob, resulting in minor injuries to a few people.