Khumujamba in Manipur's Churachandpur is now an empty site after buildings were razed to the ground
Imphal/Guwahati:
A group of people who tried to forcibly occupy a flattened residential area in Manipur's Kuki-dominated Churachandpur hill district were stopped by police before things escalated, sources said on Saturday.
Khumujamba, home to many from the valley-dominant Meitei community, has remained a disputed, empty site since last year after armed Kuki groups calling themselves “village defense volunteers” bulldozed all the houses.
Police said 24 people were detained and later released after signing Personal Recognizance Letters (PR), which makes it a must under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for the suspect to go to court or visit the police station whenever he is called up. action would be taken.
“After receiving a report today evening that some market traders had gathered in Khumujamba area of Churachandpur district, a police team immediately rushed to the spot and cleared the area. The area is now completely empty. 24 people were detained and later released on PR bond,” police said in a post on X.
“A static police team has been stationed in Khumujamba to prevent any untoward incident. The police will secure the area against illegal activities and encroachments as per the directions of the Supreme Court,” the police said, referring to the Supreme Court order dated September 25, 2023, which ordered the state government to protect the properties of internally displaced persons and religious buildings to protect.
After receiving a report in the evening today that some market vendors had gathered in Khumujamba area of Churachandpur district, a police team immediately rushed to the spot and cleared the area.
The area is currently completely empty. 24 people were arrested and released.
— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) June 1, 2024
The ethnic violence that broke out on May 3, 2023 between the Meiteis and the hill-dominant Kuki-Zo tribes had led to massive destruction of properties in both the state capital Imphal Valley and the hill areas. Even after security forces took control of sensitive areas, armed groups continued to loot and destroy property.
Some members of the Meitei community from Churachandpur, who live in relief camps in the valley, so-called armed groups in Churachandpur, have sent their 'volunteers' to demolish the entire place and erase all traces of the place where members of the Meitei community were located. community lived.
Sources said the group of people who came to the site on Saturday brought with them everyday items to sell, indicating they wanted to convert the former residential area into a busy marketplace despite knowing their actions could stir ethnic tensions.
Some Meiteis from Churachandpur living in relief camps in the valley claim that armed groups have sent their 'volunteers' to demolish their entire locality (File)
Kuki-Zo groups have also been alleging for quite some time that the state government led by BJP Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who belongs to the Meitei community, has done nothing to stop miscreants in the valley areas from looting tribal properties and to destroy. .
Currently, the Meiteis live in the valley, while the Kuki-Zo tribes are in the hills – and neither goes to areas where each community is dominant.
The Supreme Court had on May 24 said it cannot rely on sentiments and must act according to the law, while disposing of a petition seeking contempt against the Manipur Chief Secretary for allegedly failing to protect the property of internally displaced persons.
More than 220 people have been killed in Manipur and nearly 50,000 have been displaced. Most of them still live in relief camps.
