![Hundreds of houses, churches, temples, and vehicles were either vandalised or set ablaze across Manipur. [Photo: Twitter/MC Mary Kom]](http://freepresskashmir.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/f01f3276-4fce-46b2-a7c3-7da05921850d.jpg)
Imphal: In the violence hit Manipur, tension apparently escalated after a mob forced Meitei shopkeepers and women vegetable vendors at a market in the Checkon neighbourhood of Imphal to wind up business for the day. However, officials have said that the situation is under control now.
Clashes between armed forces and mobs were reported when fire engines requisitioned to douse flames engulfing the torched houses were obstructed along the route. Tear gas was used to disperse mobs, reports said quoting officials.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh blamed the arrested ex-MLA, whom he didn’t identify, as being one of those behind the “conspiracy” to trigger violence “just when the situation seemed to have changed in a remarkable way in the last 10 days”.
Ethnic clashes between the tribal Kuki and the non-tribal Meitei communities broke out on May 3 following a ‘tribal solidarity march’ to protest the move for granting the Scheduled Tribe status to the Meiteis.
The violence singed 11 of the State’s 16 districts, six of them severely, leaving 71 people dead and 35,000 homeless.
Mobile phone internet and broadband services have been suspended since May 3. Disruption of road transport has led to a shortage of essential items, fuel and life-saving drugs, officials said.
Meanwhile, law-and-order situation has been under control since the flare-up in the New Checkon area on Monday, reports said.
