IMPHAL, March 6: A possible unwanted communal tension between two communities owing to land dispute was averted by timely intervention of the 32 battalion of CRPF, at Leimatak area, Churachandpu district about 25 km from Loktak police station.
According to information acquired from the spot, the incident took place last night around 9 pm when some minority tribal group displaced during the Kuki-Naga conflict while trying to resettle at their abandoned village (Charoi Khullen Part-II) was threaten with dire consequences by another tribal community residing at the area to leave immediately.
Songonseng Chiru, chief of Charoi Khullen part-II, said that his village was established in the year 1987 with a strength of 17 household, however due to the ethnic conflict of the Kuki-Naga, during the year 1993-94, the whole village was abandon and the villagers have been taking refuge at Charoi Khullen, a nearby village.
However with the motive to resettle again, the displaced villagers started constructing their respective houses since February 14 this year. The families are yet to enter their homestead as the houses are still incomplete adding that only 5 houses are under construction with the chief himself leading the construction works.
Subsequently yesterday around 9 pm a group belonging to a majority tribal community of the area, numbering about 40 persons came, bearing sticks and sharp weapons and ask them to leave their houses and further warned with dire consequences if they don’t comply with the warning, said the village chief.
At the same time, the group also started destroying the newly built houses of the minority community, he informed.Meanwhile responding swiftly on receiving reports of the incident, the 32 CRPF intervene and averted a possible communal clash between the two tribes. The CRPF also rescued five threatened individuals of the minority tribe.
The situation is currently stated to be under control with deployment of security as a precautionary measure around the incident area.
At the same time, the CO of the 32 CRPF, JM Bhagat, today have interacted with the leaders of both the communities and requested the respective leaders to bring a negotiable solution.
While expressing their discontentment over the quit notice served to the minority tribe, Songonseng Chiru, the village chief, said that Charoi Khullen part-II has proper records with the concerned department adding it urged the concerned authority intervene into the matter to unfold the truth before any untoward incident occurs.
