Manipur violence: ‘Absolutely inhumane,’ says MoS RK Ranjan Singh after his residence is set ablaze by mob 

Union Minister of State for External Affairs, RK Ranjan Singh’s official residence in Manipur was torched by a mob late Thursday evening. The minister, who was away for work in Kerala, called such acts ‘absolutely inhumane’. This came days after the residence of minister Nemcha Kipgen was set on fire in Imphal. 

According to the Manipur government, a crowd forcefully entered the minister’s house and set it ablaze. The guards stationed in the premises were outnumbered and were unable to prevent the entry of the mob. 

The Imphal police had to deploy tear gas shells to disperse the gathering near his residence. Singh’s family was also away from the residence at that time. 

Singh spoke to the media and said, “I am currently in Kerala for official work. Thankfully, nobody got injured last night at my Imphal home. The miscreants came with petrol bombs and the ground floor and first floor of my house are damaged.”

He said that it is very sad to witness what is happening in his home state and that he would continue appealing for peace. "Those indulging in this kind of violence are absolutely inhuman," RK Singh said.

Before Singh’s residence, a mob had set on fire the official quarters of Manipur minister Nemcha Kipgen in the Lamphel area in Imphal West district. Firefighters reached the spot and doused the flames before the blaze could spread to the neighbourhood.

The police officials had said that a mob had also set two abandoned houses on fire after an attack in the Khamenlok area left nine people dead and injured 10 others. Security forces had to use force and fire tear gas shells at the mob at New Checkon in Imphal. No casualties were reported. 

So far, more than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki people in Manipur. The state imposed a curfew and banned the internet as well. The first clash broke out on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. 

Meiteis that account for 53 per cent of Manipur’s population live mostly in the Imphal valley, while the Kukis reside in the hill districts. 

Also read: Manipur conflict: 9 killed, 10 injured in fresh flare-up; police says gun battle lasted for a long time

Also read: Manipur crisis: 50,000 displaced amid violence; internet banned till June 15