Imphal: Five houses were set on fire and two unexploded bombs were recovered in the renewed communal violence at the buffer areas of the inter districts of Imphal West and Kangpokpi of Manipur during the past 18 hours, official sources said on Thursday.
Central and state forces rushed in and around the villages of Moidangpok, Keithelmanbi, and Seijang following the escalation of communal violence at around 9.30 pm on Wednesday.
The armed miscreants set on fire three houses at Keithelmanbi along Imphal-Silchar National Highway and two houses were also set ablaze at Seijang village at around 5 am on Thursday.
Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot but the houses were already reduced to cindered when the firemen reached the spot, the sources said.
Following trading of fire between two warring groups, the central and state forces rushed to the suspected locations and launched combing operations resulting in the recovery of two unexploded bombs on Thursday.
The situation in and around villages is tense but under control, the sources added. The violence renewed after two weeks of layoff in the strife-torn states. Around 180 individuals lost their lives in the violence that started on May 3, 2023.