Union Minister R.K. Ranjan Singh’s house in Imphal town was vandalised by a mob on Thursday night, June 15, 2023
The agitating mob stormed the house of Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Mr. Ranjan Singh, located at Kongba Nandeibam Leikai, Imphal East district on June 15 night and torched it along with some cars and two wheelers parked in the compound, police sources said.
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TheMinister’s outhouse was completely gutted. However extensive damages to the main house were averted by the timely arrival of the fire tenders.
Police and paramilitary personnel who rushed there in addition to his guards dispersed the agitating crowd.
No arrest has been made so far.
According to the agitating mob, said that the people of the State were unhappy with the elected representatives since they are not taking up steps to solve the present crisis in Manipur.
Mr. Singh is also accused of looking the other way when Myanmar is reportedly usurping territory of Manipur by shifting boundary pillars deep inside Manipur. Before he became the Minister, Mr. Singh was an activist for stood for the protection of Manipur’s territory from Myanmar. They alleged, after he became a Union Minister, Mr. Singh refused to hear people’s view on the issue..
Upon insistence, most of the 60 MLAs of Manipur rushed to Delhi to convey their opposition to a separate administration within the State.
In another incident, armed Kuki militants attacked the villagers of Phoubakchao in the Bishnupur district on Thursday, June 15 afternoon. Police said that a man and a woman were injured. The police commandos and the village protection volunteers retaliated. Tear gas shells and mock bombs were fired to disperse the stone-pelting people. Some youths had also attacked the RAF personnel using slingshots. Some women were injured in the protracted clashes.
CM Biren warns Mizoram
The Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren told reporters that if the Mizoram government does not control some organisations that are demanding a separate administration in Manipur the relations between the two States will be strained. He further said that following the killings of villagers the police and the paramilitary forces are launching combing operations in 80 places. So far no militant has been arrested. But police could recover 6 improvised pipe bombs.
There were protests by the people on June 15 following the torching of three shops at New Chekkon in the Imphal East district. The shops were owned by some Kukis. They are located in areas guarded round the clock by personnel of the Rapid Action Force.