At least 28 houses were set ablaze in separate incidents in Manipur's Kamjong district in the past 24 hours, with suspected militants targeting both Naga
and Kuki settlements, forcing civilians to flee their homes and take shelter in forests and a nearby Army camp, police said. At least 13 abandoned houses belonging to members of the Naga community were set on fire by unidentified miscreants at Pilong and Skipe villages near the international border with Myanmar on Sunday. "Necessary security measures have been taken in connection with the incident," a police statement said. The houses had been abandoned following earlier attacks on Naga villages, including Pilong, near the international border with Myanmar. In a separate incident on Sunday morning, two persons were injured when unidentified armed miscreants opened fire on a car travelling between Gwaltabi and Mahadeva along National Highway 202, under Litan police station in Ukhrul district. Meanwhile, at least 15 houses belonging to the Kuki community were set on fire in Chassad village in Kamjong district on Saturday night, forcing a large number of civilians to flee and take shelter in forest areas and a nearby Army camp, officials said. Suspected militants attacked the village and set the houses ablaze, they said. The incident took place hours after a Kuki civilian was killed and four others sustained bullet injuries in an attack on the village. In a statement, police said a joint column of the Assam Rifles, the Border Security Force and Kamjong Police had been deployed in the affected area to bring the situation under control. Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen condemned the violence in Chassad, expressing grief over the death of the Kuki civilian and concern for the injured village leaders and displaced families. She described the burning of houses as an intolerable crime. Kipgen said she had instructed the district administration, state police and security forces to maintain round-the-clock vigilance, protect civilian lives and property, and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice. In a separate incident at Kamjong district headquarters on Saturday night, three Tangkhul Naga civilians sustained bullet injuries when rival armed groups belonging to another community attacked the village. More than 50 people have been killed and dozens of houses burnt in ethnic clashes between the Kuki and Naga communities in Tamenglong, Kamjong, Ukhrul, Kangpokpi and Noney districts since February.
