Imphal: The Manipur government on Monday initiated extensive damage control measures following arson attacks and communal violence in Ukhrul district, deploying additional security forces, conducting police inquiries, and using technology to identify the perpetrators. Ground verification reports indicated that a total of 24 houses were burnt in Litan village under the Litan police station, including 21 belonging to members of the Tangkhul Naga community and three to the Kuki community. Government properties, including Public Works Department offices, were also set ablaze.
Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho visited the affected areas, assessed the situation, and convened a peace meeting with representatives from the communities. While no arrests have been made so far, he assured that the culprits would be apprehended. Dikho said the meeting had been productive, with both sides expressing a desire for peace. He added that the state and central governments, with adequate security deployments, were working to restore normalcy at the earliest.
Cabinet Minister Konthoujam Govindas, speaking to the media at the BJP Imphal office, said the government was closely monitoring the situation in the aftermath of clashes between the two communities. He appealed to residents to exercise restraint, highlighting Manipur’s long history of diverse ethnic communities living together peacefully. Govindas emphasized that lasting peace and communal harmony are essential for the State’s overall development and can only be achieved by ending the conflict.