For the second time in two months, the house of Union minister RK Ranjan Singh was attacked in Manipur's Imphal.
A women's rally outside Singh's house turned violent and pelted stones on the house. No one was injured in the attack.
Manipur has been in the grips of ethnic violence between the Meitei and tribal communities since May 3 after the state's tribal communities carried out a Tribal Solidarity March. More than 160 people have been killed and several thousands have been displaced. Attacks on political establishments, such as houses of leaders, have also taken place.
The PTI reported that as no one was present at the house at the time of the attack, not much harm was done. The report further said that security personnel posted at the house dispersed the protesters who also sought restoration of internet services.
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“We demand that the minister speak in Parliament about the situation in the state. We want internet services back. We want to tell people what is happening to us,” one of the protestors told PTI.
The authorities banned internet services across Manipur for the first time on May 3 when clashes between ethnic communities began, reported PTI, adding that it is being extended from time to time “to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order”.
The attack on Singh's house comes days after a video of an incident from May 4 went viral and caused nationwide outrage. The video showed two tribal women being paraded naked and being groped by a mob.
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Students of Manipur University too took out a rally during the day demanding restoration of peace in the state, reported PTI, adding that the police fired tear gas shells to disperse them as the youths crossed an area up to which permission was given to them to hold the rally.
Earlier on June 15, a mob had attacked Singh's house and tried to burn it down. Security guards and firefighters managed to control arson attempts and save the house at the time.
A section of the students of Manipur University organised a rally in Imphal town demanding restoration of peace Manipur, reported PTI, adding that the rally organised by the Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU) started from the gate of the varsity at Canchipur in Imphal.
Police said they had permission to go to Kakwa, around two kilometres away. The students, however, wanted to continue the rally beyond Kakway and till Singjamei, some four km away from the varsity gate, reported PTI.
The police fired tear gas shells to disperse the rallyists when they tried to cross Kakwa and head towards Singjamei, leading to a heated exchange of words between the officers and the students, reported PTI.
