IMPHAL: A mob torched a godown of Manipur’s Public Health Engineering and Consumer Affairs Minister L Susindro Meitei for protecting two women – alleged informers of Kuki militants.
The incident took place on Friday night at Chingarel in the Imphal East district. Plastic pipes for sewage worth Rs 120 crore and other materials were gutted.
An attempt was also made to burn the minister’s private residence later but the security forces thwarted it by using force. Security was heightened at the house as he anticipated an attack.
Earlier in the day, a mob had caught the two women and beaten them up for allegedly passing information to Kuki militants. Soon, the police, leaders of some organisations and the minister arrived. Later, the minister took the duo in a car of his convoy and left for Imphal.
However, another mob stopped the vehicles on the way and the personnel dispersed the people by firing blank shots. When the news that the minister was protecting two “spies” spread, a mob carried out the attack on his private property.
The BJP leader said the incident occurred due to a misunderstanding. He claimed the mob targeted two “simple” persons and advised people to verify everything before taking action against anyone.
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“One of the women is Gita, who was the secretary of a mothers’ association. I learnt she went to help people who had an issue with the army. I don’t know much about the other woman but she too went to help people,” the minister told journalists on Saturday.
Gunbattles between armed groups are now common in Manipur but the forces cannot respond immediately due to resistance from women groups which would block their paths.
The minister said the items which got reduced to ashes at his godown belonged to a contractor. “A tender was floated recently and a contractor kept the pipes in our custody,” he added.
In the past few weeks, mobs either torched or vandalised the houses and other properties of several ministers, including a Central minister.