Prompt police intervention and the deployment of tear gas aimed to quell the unrest, highlighting the escalating tensions in the area.
In a tumultuous turn of events, a riotous mob engaged in a fierce clash with Manipur's Rapid Action Force in Imphal on Friday evening, following the torching of a warehouse. With concerns that the mob would target other properties, police resorted to the use of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Officials revealed that the riot unfolded near the Imphal palace grounds, adding an air of gravity to the situation.
Prompt action was taken by fire personnel and security forces who swiftly arrived at the scene, successfully bringing the warehouse fire under control and preventing its spread to neighboring houses. Startlingly, the property in question belonged to a retired high-profile IAS officer from the tribal community, intensifying the significance of the incident.
Adding to the unrest, a mob targeted and vandalized the residence of Union Minister of State for External Affairs, R K Ranjan Singh, in Imphal town the previous night, attempting to set it ablaze. Security guards and firefighters valiantly managed to thwart the arson attempts, safeguarding the minister's house from being consumed by flames. These developments come in the wake of two house burnings and clashes between the Rapid Action Force of Manipur and a mob in the heart of Imphal town on Thursday afternoon.
The roaming mob late on Thursday continued to engage in clashes with security forces, further exacerbating the volatile situation. Incidents of clashes and attacks have resurfaced in Manipur this week, raising concerns about the overall security and stability in the region.
Reacting to the unsettling developments, Union Minister R K Ranjan Singh conveyed to PTI Video that he has been actively working towards peace and non-violence since May 3, when ethnic clashes first erupted in the state. He expressed his belief that the current unrest is a misunderstanding between two communities and highlighted the government's efforts in establishing a peace committee with ongoing processes, including the involvement of civil society leaders.