150 houses torched at Chassad following inter-village land dispute

Mungchan Zimik
Ukhrul, Mar 16: Villa-gers of Kamjong torched around 150 houses belong-ing to Chassad village under Kamjong district today following a land dispute between Sampui and Chassad village.
Following the incident, Kamjong District Magistrate Zuringla Kengoo promulgated Section 144, CrPC prohibitory order in the scheduled area of Kamjong-Chassad and along the main road of Sampui area.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Biren has lamented the arson which took place at Chassad this morning as very unfortunate.
Strongly condemning the arson, Biren appealed to all the people not to spread rumours and inflammatory words about the incident.
He said that a committee of officers comprising of Additional Chief Secretary Suhel Akhtar as chairman and DIG (Intelligence) Achin Haokip and Joint Secretary Luckyson Ngam-sha Kashung as members has been consituted to establish the causes of the confrontation and identify the main culprits.
Sources said that the arson was triggered by a land dispute between Sampui and Chassad village.
Yesterday evening, at around 7, a group of villagers allegedly torched a newly constructed oil pump at Saputhayang apart from setting ablaze a makeshift camp and thrashing some non-local labourers.
The group of villagers armed with weapons reportedly sieged the road stretch from Sampui junction to Kamjong town since yesterday onward.
Reportedly, jhum fields prepared for cultivation were also set on fire by some unknown miscreants but Chassad villagers  allegedly blamed Sampui villagers for the act.
The source conveyed that Chassad villagers proposed for a talk and subsequently Kamjong villagers responded. However, some youths started pelting stones upon another group of villagers which resulted in violent confrontation between the two villages.
During the violence, around 150 houses were torched and around 3-5 individuals sustained some minor injuries.
Later, after the arrival of additional police force from Ukhrul and Imphal led by high ranking officers, the situation was finally brought under control.
The source also pointed out that during the violence, villagers of Chassad took temporary shelters/refuge at the Assam Rifles camp at Kamjong.
Meanwhile, another source informed that following the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar along with Education Minister Th Radheshyam, Agri- culture Minister V Hang-khanlian, Water Resource Minister Letpao Haokip, MLA K Leishiyo, MLA Khasim Vashum and Commissioner (Home) Gyan Prakash flew down to Kam-jong headquarters in a helicopter to assess the situation.
The source pointed out that the team led by the Deputy Chief Minister met the rival villagers and appealed for peace and sanity. The team also assured every possible emergency compensation or aid as well.
It is reported that the Government has been working to ship necessary relief materials for the victims from Imphal tomorrow. Further more, the team also directed the district administration concerned to submit a detail report of the incident at the earliest.
Following the incident, the State Government issued an order cutting off mobile internet services for a period of three days in a bid to curb rumours and provocative speeches spread through social media sites regarding the incident.
However, the Chief Minister, after noting that there has been no further untoward incident, has stated that the ban imposed on internet services may be lifted tomorrow.  
The source also informed that an additional police force led by Additional DGP L Kailun has rushed into the area to restore law and order in the area.
Meanwhile, a late report informed that a peace committee has been set up comprising of leaders of both Chassad and Kamjong villages so as to avoid recurrence of any communal violence.
ADGP L Kailun who is currently stationed at Kamjong informed that two rounds of meeting have been already held with villagers of Kamjong and Chassad on restoring peace and tranquillity in the area.