Officials said the police outpost was torched by suspected militants and several houses were set ablaze in Manipur’s Jiribam district on June 8.
They said that the police outpost- Jiri located in Chotobekra area along the Barak river was set on fire at about 12.30 a.m.
The gunmen, who are believed to be hill-based militants also took advantage of the darkness to carry out multiple attacks at Lamtai khunou, Modhupur area of the district which is situated some 220 km away from Imphal, State capital.
Several houses have been burnt, mostly in the outlying areas of Jiribam district though the exact number cannot be confirmed,” a district official based in Jiribam told PTI. An ILP has been imposed since Friday night in Mizoram Youth Commission and all offices under it.
Police said that a commando contingent of Manipur Police has been airlifted to Jiribam on Saturday morning from Imphal to assist in security operations against the militants.
Angomcha Bimol Akoijam (Congress), MP-elect for Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat appealed to Manipur Government to protect people’s lives and properties in Jiribam District which he represents.”
Mr.Akoijam has spoken with officials of both Lohit and Anjaw districts who informed him that they are facing shortage of essential food items including sugar, salt besides other items like medicines, blankets etc because they could not lift their allotted rations so far as there is no transport service available upto their respective locations.
District administration officials explained that following an outbreak of violence linked to murder carried out by gun men allegedly belonging to militant group had prompted evacuation exercises leading towards shifting nearly two hundred thirty nine individuals being mainly women alongside children into sport facility within town trading center located within jiri town
On June 6, the Jiribam district administration had clamped an indefinite curfew in the district following the killing of a 59-year-old man belonging to one community allegedly by militants belonging to another community.
This resulted in fresh ethnic clashes in a region hitherto untouched by violence.
Jiribam was so far unaffected by any ethnic conflict which has been raging across Manipur for nearly a year since May 2015. This town had managed to keep itself safe from communal tension while Kukis were attacking Meiteis and vice versa.
The death toll is already over 200 with more than half a million people affected or displaced.
