Manipur unrest: Union Minister RK Ranjan Singh’s house set on fire

This is the 8th incidence of an attack on the house of a Manipur legislator or Minister

There seems to be no end to the violence in Manipur as incidents of violence continue to be reported from the state.

Days after the residence of Minister Nemcha Kipgen in Imphal was set ablaze on June 14, the residence of Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education RK Ranjan Singh at Kongba-Uchekon area in Imphal East was burnt down by miscreants yesterday evening.

This has happened despite the fact that there are at least 40,000 security forces deployed in the state.

A large number of irate mob started storming the residence gate of R K Ranjan Singh from around 10:30 pm last night.

It was around 11 pm when the mob forcefully entered the campus and set ablaze his house and few makeshift structures within the campus.

Ranjan Singh’s house was partially burnt and the makeshift structure was completely razed to the ground.

House guards who manned the residence gate were outnumbered by the mob.

While the mob started gathering near RK Ranjan Singh’s house, Imphal East police resorted to tear gas shelling but failed to disperse the mob.

R K Ranjan Singh and his family members were not present while the incident took place.

“I am currently in Kerala for official work. Thankfully, nobody got injured last night at my Imphal home. The miscreants came with petrol bombs and damage has been done to the ground floor and first floor of my home”, Mos MEA Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said reacting to the incident.

“It is very sad to see what is happening in my home state. I will still continue to appeal for peace. Those indulging in this kind of violence are absolutely inhuman,” the Minister said regretting the situation in his state.

Earlier, on May 25 too, an angry mob had attacked and vandalized his house. Alert personnel of the Manipur Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) had swung into action to bring the situation under control.

Last night’s incident is the 8th incidence of an attack on the house of a Manipur legislator or Minister.

On June 8, two bike-borne miscreants hurled a low-intensity Improvised explosive device (IED) at the gate of the Naoriya Pakhanglakpa BJP MLA Soraisam Kebi in Imphal East.

On June 4, miscreants burnt down the house of Congress MLA R K Ranjit in Sugnu, under Kakching district of Manipur.

On May 28, the house of BJP MLA Kh Raghumani Singh at Lamphel in Imphal West district was vandalised. He is the Uripok MLA.

On the same night, in a second incident, an angry mob tried to attack the residence of Manipur Minister Th Biswajit Singh, however, security forces managed to stop the mob much before they could reach the Minister’s residence.

On May 24, an irate mob had vandalized Manipur’s Public Works Department, Youth Affairs & Sports Minister and Bishnupur MLA, Govindas Konthoujam’s residence.

Earlier, on May 4 Vungzagin Valte, a BJP MLA, was attacked by a mob in Imphal while he was returning from the state secretariat after a meeting with Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

Also Read: Manipur Minister Nemcha Kipgen’s residence set on fire in Imphal

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