Senapati (Manipur), 24 August (HS): Fresh violence erupted in the Taphou area of Manipur’s Senapati district in the early hours of Monday, with armed miscreants allegedly setting fire to at least two houses belonging to families from different communities.

According to police and local sources, the first arson incident took place around 2:30 am to 3:00 am at Kuki Taphou, where a house belonging to a Kuki family was set ablaze. Around 4:00 am, a retaliatory fire was reported near the 9th Manipur Rifles post, in which a house belonging to a Naga family from the Poumai/Liangmei community was destroyed.

The situation escalated further at around 9:20 am when an exchange of fire broke out between armed groups in the area. During the gunfight, Sub-Inspector Pradeep Singh of the 36th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) sustained a bullet injury to his foot. He was subsequently evacuated to Senapati District Hospital for treatment.

Local sources said residents also objected to fire brigade personnel attempting to douse the flames at the initial site. The unrest later led to road blockades at several locations.

The situation in Taphou and adjoining areas remains tense. Additional security forces have been deployed to prevent further escalation between the Naga and Kuki-Zo communities. Local authorities and civil society groups have appealed to all sides to maintain peace, refrain from retaliatory violence and cooperate with security and peace-keeping efforts.-----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash