The house of the BJP Minority Morcha's Manipur president, Asker Ali, was set on fire by a mob allegedly for supporting the Waqf Amendment Act. The incident happened at Lilong in Thoubal district on Sunday night. Ali had expressed his support for the Act on social media on Saturday. An irate mob gathered outside his residence around 9 pm, vandalised it and later set it on fire. Following the incident, Ali posted a video on social media, apologising for his earlier statement. He also expressed opposition to the Act.
'There's no transparency in work (of the Wakf Board), in property transactions (of the Waqf).'
The situation in minority-dominated Lilong Chingjao area in Manipur's Thoubal district, where four villagers were gunned down by unidentified assailants, remained calm but tense on Tuesday as additional security forces were deployed, an official said.
Gunmen, who are yet to be identified, arrived in camouflage dresses in the Lilong Chingjao area, and opened fire targeting locals, they said.
The rocket which fell on the compound of former chief minister Mairembam Koireng's residence seemed to be an improvised one.
Singh also attributed the current crisis to the 'failure' of the previous government in guarding the state's borders.
Militants have called for a boycott of Independence Day celebrations in the Northeastern states.
They cited the lack of trust in the leadership of O Ibobi Singh and said that due to him, the Congress failed to form the government even when it was the single largest party in the state.
Two people have been arrested along with a bomb-fitted car during search operations in Imphal East and Thoubal districts of Manipur by police commandos.A combined team of police commandos attached to different districts launched massive search operations in the two districts following reports that suspected insurgents were planning to plant bombs at different areas on Thursday, said the police.
The Manipur government has set itself on course to arm villagers as special police officers in the worst insurgency-affected pockets of the state.
Militants exploded a powerful bomb at the private residence of Manipur Assembly Speaker Maniruddin Shaikh minutes after he left the house at Lilong area in Thoubal district on Wednesday.
The counting will begin at 8 am, and as per the Election Commission's COVID-19 guidelines, a candidate, his poll agent and counting agent can remain present in the counting hall, officials said, adding various measures have been taken to ensure social distancing and avoid crowding.
Counting of votes is underway in assembly byelection to 58 seats in 11 states including Madhya Pradesh where the results will decide the fate of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.
In more than a dozen assembly constituencies, the Muslim community, locally known as 'Pangal' or 'Meitei Pangal', can swing results.
Out of a total of 17 aspirants who had sought party tickets to contest in five different assembly seats, so far only one -- Md Anwar Hussain -- has been given the green signal to be the candidate from Lilong -- a constituency with the largest Muslim population in the state.
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