Why are Konsakhul villagers protesting against Leilon Vaiphai villagers in Manipur?

By Donald Sairem

Its Konsakhul villagers versus villagers of Leilon Vaiphei in Manipur. People from the Liangmai community living in Konsakhul village came out in large numbers to participate in a protest rally that was taken out today against the alleged harassment of Konsakhul villagers and for setting a scooter ablaze by villagers of Leilon Vaiphei in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district.

The rally was organised by the Liangmai Naga Students’ Union, Eastern Zone. It began from the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Regional Campus, Makhan Village in Kangpokpi district, and continued till the National Highway-2.

The district administration imposed Section 144 in both the villagers after tension erupted between the villagers of the two villages.

As per information, two villagers of Konsakhul were assaulted by Lailon Vaiphei villagers, and their scooter was set ablaze. They were handed over to Leimakhong police station on March 26.

Ch. Wichamdinbou, information and publicity secretary of Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi, Manipur, alleged that the police personnel at the station also physically assaulted the two villagers and later handed them over to the villagers.

An excavator was also vandalised by the Leilon Vaiphei villagers on the same day, he said.

Ch. Wichamdinbou strongly condemned the incident and demanded the government arrest those involved in the assault on the civilians. He also demanded the immediate suspension of the police personnel involved in the assault of the innocents in their custody.

“Every time a student or elderly woman passes through the road from Leimakhong to Khonsakhul they are being harassed and beaten up. We want justice and want all the culprits to be booked,” Ch. Wichamdinbou added.

The information and publicity secretary also accused the Leilon Vaiphei villagers of encroaching on Khonsakhul village’s land.

Participants of the rally raised slogans such as “Illegal immigrants cannot be landowners” and “We want justice”.

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