Manipur mobs burn empty houses in Moreh, buses in Kangpokpi

Imphal: A group of miscreants set afire several houses in Manipur's Moreh district on Wednesday, officials said.

The abandoned houses were in the Moreh Bazar area close to the Myanmar border.

The arson came hours after two buses used by security forces to transport personnel were set on fire by a mob in Kangpokpi district, the officials said.

No casualty was reported.

The incident occurred at Sapormeina when the buses were coming from Dimapur on Tuesday evening.

Locals stopped the buses bearing Manipur registration numbers at Sapormeina and insisted that they would check if any member of another community were on board, the officials said.

Some of them set the buses on fire.

Ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state nearly three months ago, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.

The violence erupted on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.