On Thursday night, an angry mob launched an assault on the ancestral residence of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in Heingang locality, Imphal. Despite a prevailing security clampdown and curfew in the Imphal valley, the attempt to breach the property was thwarted by security forces who resorted to firing warning shots into the air. It’s noteworthy that Chief Minister Singh resides in a distinct, heavily guarded official residence located at the heart of the state’s capital.
As described by a police officer, “There was an attempt to attack the chief minister’s ancestral house at Heingang locality in Imphal. Security forces stopped the mob around 100-150 meters away from the house.” Although the ancestral house remains unoccupied, it is vigilantly guarded at all times.
The situation escalated as two groups approached the Chief Minister’s ancestral residence from different directions but were promptly halted by security forces. To disperse the mob, riot control measures including the firing of tear gas shells were employed by the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and state police personnel. Authorities also took measures to reduce visibility by cutting off electricity in the area and reinforcing barricades near the house. Additionally, protesters set fire to tires in the nearby road.
Despite the tense situation, ambulances were seen on standby near the scene, and fortunately, there have been no reported injuries thus far. This incident unfolded in the midst of violent student protests that erupted following the deaths of two youths in Manipur earlier in the week. Notably, the state capital had already witnessed vandalism at the deputy commissioner’s office in Imphal West district, as well as the torching of two vehicles in the early hours of Thursday.
In response to the escalating violence, curfew measures were reintroduced in Imphal East and West districts on Wednesday, as security forces sought to quell the unrest that had resulted in the injury of 65 demonstrators since Tuesday. These incidents come in the wake of heightened ethnic tensions that have gripped Manipur for nearly five months, with several ministers’ residences having previously been targeted in acts of violence.
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