IMPHAL: At least 26 houses have been torched and displaced several families in the village of Sailen in Senapati district of Manipur after the arson by hundreds of people from its neighbouring village Seijang over a reported long standing land dispute on Friday morning.
Reports said the arson took place around 10:30 am in the village of Sailen in Saikul constituency. It is located about 7 km northeast of Lamlai Police Station. However, Seijang village falls under Lamlai constituency in Imphal East district.
Sailen village chief Hongprang said that at about 10:30 am, around 600 people from Seijang holding spears, bows and arrows, petrol and kerosene swooped down on Sailen and set around 26 houses on fire.
He said Sailen village is populated by about 500 people with 70 houses.
One Maruti van, one Kubota tractor and another rice mill were also destroyed in the fire.
Imphal East Superintendent of Police, Kamei Angam, DIG Range-I, Clay Khongsai, Saikul constituency MLA Yamthong Haokip and other top police officials of Imphal East rushed to the site to take stock of the situation.
Meanwhile, a team of Assam Rifles and Manipur Police have reportedly pulled up five suspects in connection with the incident. (NNN)
