A large group of people protesting against the killing of two Meitei students in Manipur tried to attack Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s private residence at Heingang locality of Imphal on Thursday night, despite a security clampdown in the district. Security forces managed to stop the mob around 100-150 metres away from the house, police said.
There was nobody in the house at the time of the incident. Singh lives in a separate, well-guarded official bungalow in the centre of the state's capital.
A police officer told news agency PTI that two groups of people came from different directions and approached the CM's ancestral residence but they were stopped. Several rounds of tear gas shells were fired by RAF and state police personnel to disperse the mob.
The protesters also targeted the residences of state BJP president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi and BJP MLA Soraisam Kebi in Imphal East district.
Manipur has been witnessing a fresh wave of agitation over the past three days since photos of two missing students—Hijam Linthoingambi, 17, and Phijam Hemjit, 20—who were killed by militants, started circulating on social media.
On Wednesday, protesting students tried to hold a march towards the CM Bungalow and Raj Bhavan, alleging that the chief minister and other ministers remained silent against the violent activities of the Kuki militants and their supporters.
The protesters also torched two vehicles inside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Imphal and another civilian vehicle parked nearby the DC office.
Authorities have re-imposed curfew in Imphal East and West as the two districts witnessed violent protests since Tuesday, injuring 65 people.
Meanwhile, the state government on Thursday constituted a committee to verify complaints of alleged use of excessive force on protesters, mainly students, by security forces.
The committee will be headed by IGP (Administration) K Jayanta, the order said, adding that it will "submit the report at the earliest."
