Fresh tension gripped Manipur's Imphal West district on 12 July after suspected miscreants allegedly set fire to several houses belonging to members of the Meitei community in the Kanto Sabal area, pushing the already volatile region to the brink of another major confrontation. Two accused individuals have been arrested in connection with the arson and mob violence, officials confirmed.

Who Was Arrested and What Happened

Among those arrested is Kammang Lhouvum, identified as the Chief of Hengjang Village and Chairman of the Leimakhong Area Protection Committee. According to local accounts, a large number of individuals from the adjoining mountainous Kangpokpi district — a Kuki-majority area — descended on parts of Kanto Sabal and allegedly torched the houses. The properties had remained abandoned since ethnic violence first erupted in Manipur in May 2023.

A mob of nearly 600 men and women subsequently attempted to advance toward the Kanto Sabal area, according to a senior police official. Security forces intervened promptly, preventing the crowd from moving forward and averting a potential communal clash. Tear gas shells were fired to disperse the gathering. An attempt by miscreants to set fire to additional abandoned houses was also contained, with no loss of life reported.

Chief Minister Condemns the Attack

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh strongly condemned the incident. In a post on the Chief Minister's Office's official X account, he confirmed the arrests and said the state government had taken swift action to control the mob and was closely monitoring the situation. State police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed in the area.

Chief Minister Singh said all security forces have been instructed to prevent any recurrence of such incidents. He expressed concern that the attack occurred 'after a long period of peace in the state' and described it as 'an attempt to derail the ongoing peace efforts,' adding that it underscored the presence of elements driven by vested interests working against reconciliation.

Ground Situation and Community Response

The arson triggered widespread panic across the locality. Hundreds of residents from both the Meitei and Naga communities converged near Kanto Sabal in an attempt to reach the affected area and help extinguish the blaze. A massive deployment of central security forces blocked their advance, leading to a tense confrontation between locals and security personnel.

Local residents alleged that security forces failed to protect the houses despite being present in the area at the time of the attack. The Kanto Sabal locality sits on the fringe of the Imphal Valley, directly adjoining the Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district, making it one of the most sensitive flashpoints from a security standpoint.

Investigation and Security Posture

A formal case has been registered and further investigation is underway, officials said. Security forces remained on standby and continued intensive deployment across the area to maintain law and order. The situation, as of the latest reports, remained tense but under control.

This incident is the latest in a series of flare-ups that have kept Manipur on edge since the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities began in May 2023 — a crisis that has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced tens of thousands. Whether the fresh arrests and security clampdown will hold the fragile calm remains to be seen.