Imphal: Six homes belonging to displaced residents went up in smoke near the Leimakhong Army Camp. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) says this fire was no accident. It claims this was a calculated move in an ongoing proxy war tearing through Manipur since May 2023.
Security forces failed. They stood by while a mob moved in to torch the properties. Phijam Shyamchand of COCOMI slammed the response, noting that the agency witnessed security personnel hold back locals while letting attackers pass. The group branded the event a "serious security failure" and pushed for an independent probe to pin down exactly how a mob bypassed a heavily guarded military zone.
Police have picked up a few suspects, but COCOMI insists that is not enough. The group wants a deep dive into how the raid was planned. They also targeted the state government, demanding more than just empty words of condemnation. They pointed to claims made by Sekmai MLA Heikham Dingo, who suggested military inaction played a role in the destruction.
Public trust in the neutrality of central forces is cratering. COCOMI warned that minimizing this to a simple law-and-order hiccup will only make the regional violence worse. They see a pattern here, linking this fire to the recent killing of six Naga civilians. The group believes someone is trying to drive a wedge between the Naga and Meitei people through psychological warfare. They want the government to lock down the Leimakhong perimeter and prove they can keep the peace.
Comments