Imphal, Ukhrul, September 15: A mob set fire to the home of a Kuki-Zo militant leader in Manipur’s Churachandpur district late Sunday night, in an incident right after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the district headquarters.
Police said the residence belonged to Khenthang Calvin, a leader of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), a group that has signed a cease-fire agreement with the Indian government under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact. The house, located in Dorkas Veng, was completely destroyed.
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In a separate attempt, the same mob reportedly tried to torch the residence of Ginza Vualzong, the spokesperson for the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF). Locals intervened in time, preventing the house from being set ablaze.
“I don’t understand the motive behind such incidents,” Ginza Vualzong said in an interview. “This is not the first time miscreants have tried to target me. Some people have always opposed my involvement with the KZC and ITLF, though for reasons best known to them.”
The violence followed a day of simmering unrest in the district. Earlier on Sunday, large groups of residents had taken to the streets, demanding the release of two men detained by police. The men were accused of vandalizing decorations erected in preparation for PM Narendra Modi’s visit on September 13. They were later released that evening, but the tensions did not subside.
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Authorities in Churachandpur have yet to determine the motive behind the attacks, but the events highlight the fragile security situation in Manipur, where ethnic tensions and militant activity have long shaped local politics and community relations.