Police stop attempt to set up market in Manipur Churachandpur in area of ​​destroyed buildings

Khumujamba in Manipur’s Churachandpur is now an empty site after buildings were razed to the ground

Guwahati:

A group of people attempting to forcibly occupy a razed residential area in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur hill district of Manipur were stopped by police before the situation escalated, sources said on Saturday.

Khumujamba, where many members of the valley’s dominant Meitei community lived, has been a disputed, empty area since last year after armed Kuki groups calling themselves “village defense volunteers” razed all the houses to the ground.

According to police, 24 people were arrested and later released after signing a personal undertaking. According to the Criminal Procedure Code, it is an obligation for the accused to appear in court or visit the police station when summoned, otherwise action will be taken.

“After receiving a report this 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 currently completely deserted. 24 people were arrested and later released on bail,” police said in a post on X.

“A permanent police team has been deployed in Khumujamba to prevent any untoward incident. The police will protect the area from illegal activities and encroachments as per Supreme Court directives,” police said, referring to the Supreme Court order dated September 25, 2023, directing the state government to protect the properties of IDPs and religious buildings.

After receiving a report this evening that some market traders had gathered in the Khumujamba area of ​​Churachandpur district, a police team immediately rushed to the scene and cleared the area.

The area is currently completely uninhabited. 24 people were arrested and released on …

— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) June 1, 2024

The ethnic violence that broke out on May 3, 2023 between the Meiteis and the hill-dwelling Kuki-Zo tribes had led to massive destruction of properties both in the Imphal Valley and the hill regions of the national capital. Even after security forces took control of sensitive areas, armed groups allegedly continued to loot and destroy properties.

Some members of the Meitei community from Churachandpur living in relief camps in the valley alleged that armed groups from Churachandpur had sent their “volunteers” to raze the entire village and erase all traces of the place being an area where members of the Meitei community once lived.

According to sources, the group of people who came to the site on Saturday brought everyday items to sell, suggesting that they wanted to transform the former residential area into a bustling marketplace, despite knowing that their actions could provoke ethnic tensions.

Some Meiteis from Churachandpur living in relief camps in the valley claim that armed groups have sent their “volunteers” to raze their entire area to the ground (file)

Kuki-Zo groups have also long alleged that the state government under Chief Minister N. Biren Singh of the BJP, who belongs to the Meitei community, has done nothing to stop miscreants in the valley areas from looting and destroying tribal properties.

Currently, the Meiteis live in the valley while the Kuki-Zo tribes live in the mountains. Both tribes do not move to areas where their respective communities dominate.

The Supreme Court had on May 24 said it cannot be guided by emotions and must act within the law while dismissing a contempt of court case against the Manipur Chief Minister for allegedly failing to protect the property of the internally displaced people.

In Manipur, over 220 people have died and nearly 50,000 have become internally displaced. Most of them are still living in relief camps.