Newmai News Network
Churachandpur, July 4: Miscreants set on fire the house of a leader of Kuki National Organization (KNO), one of the two umbrella bodies of Kuki-based militant groups which is under tripartite Suspension of Operation (SoO) truce with the Manipur government and the Central government on Monday night.
The torched house belonged to KNO spokesperson Dr Seilen Haokip located at Songpi village, five kilometer away from Churachandpur district headquarters. No one was injured in the arson incident. However, almost all the belongings of the house including a car parked at the front courtyard of the house were reduced to ashes, the source said.
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The spokesperson of KNO and his family members were not at the house at the time of the arson incident. It added that around five miscreants set afire the house.
The police confirmed the arson incident. However, the reason behind the attack on the house of the KNO leader could not be ascertained. However, Dr Seilen Haokip in an interview with a news channel said he suspected it could be due to the removal of blockade in National Highway-2.
The United Peoples’ Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO) decided to remove roadblocks on National Highway 2 in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Tuesday.
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The KNO is one of the two umbrella bodies of Kuki based militant groups under tripartite Suspension of Operation agreement with the state and the Central governments. The other one being the United People Front (UPF).
KNO with PS Haokip as chairman comprises as many as 17 Kuki based militant groups and the most influential Kuki National Army (KNA) is the armed wing of the KNO.
The KNO and UPF were in the news recently when they announced the lifting of the blockade on the national highways passing through the Kuki dominated areas.
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Dr Seilen Haokip was the signatory of the KNO in the joint press statement that lifted the blockade.
Whether the arson was related with the lifting of the blockade or any other matters related with the ongoing violence in the state could not be ascertained till the time of filing this report.