House of KNO spokesman torched in Ccpur
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal/CCpur:, July 04 2023: Days after announcement to end the 60-day blockade imposed in Kangpokpi sector of the NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur road) was made jointly by United People's Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), the house and farm house of KNO spokesperson Seilen Haokip was torched by unknown miscreants on between 11-12 pm Monday.

One Palet, who is caretaker of the farmhouse at Songpi village, which is west of Chu rachandpur town, reportedly went out to fix water pipe from the intake point when the incident happened.

Talking to this daily, Palet informed that he scurried back on seeing flames and smoke billowing from the house.

Though fire tenders rushed in reached and managed to douse the blaze most of the structures and a car were found damaged beyond repair.

According to media team of Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum, the house was burnt by "unknown miscreants" .

On Sunday, the KNO and UPF had jointly announced to lift the blockade on the highway, considered to be the lifeline of Manipur, keeping in view Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "deep concern to restore peace and harmony in the state and alleviate the plight of people in general" .

Police suspect that section of the people belonging to the Kuki-Zomi community, who did not support the withdrawal of the blockade, might be involved in the incident.

Seilen Haokip told the media that there was no one inside his residence in Songpi when "some miscreants set fire to the house" .

Mention may be made that after the blockade was imposed by various organisations in the wake of the ethnic violence that erupted on May 3, the state has been fully dependent on the Imphal-Ji-ribam National Highway (NH-37) through southern Assam in procuring essentials, food grains, transport fuels, life-saving drugs and other materials from other states.

According to Sailen Haokip, the decision to lift the blockade was taken after wide-ranging consultations with various Kuki-Zo civil society organisations, village chiefs, youths and women leaders.

The civil organisations and representatives of the UPF and the KNO met a senior BJP functionary in Assam's Kaziranga on June 30.The decision was taken to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential commodities to all parts of the state.

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