Imphal: Former national footballer Laitonjam Sanathoi lost his home to arson in Imphal West on Saturday. Protesters from Kangpokpi marched into the village of Kanto Sabal and torched at least five Meitei houses. Sanathoi accuses central security forces of total inaction.
The athlete claims he begged soldiers to let him reach his property as smoke filled the air. They blocked his path. He recalls the moment he knew his home was gone. "When I saw smoke rising into the sky, I was certain my house had been burnt. I repeatedly requested the central forces to let me go, but they kept assuring me that nothing had happened to my house and prevented me from moving towards it."
Sanathoi once played for NEROCA FC and FC Kerala. He quit his career after the 2023 ethnic conflict broke out. He moved his family into a relief camp in Khurkhul. He began working as a laborer to pay for his mother's medical care before she died. He returned to his village often, trusting promises that his home remained safe.
Only a few trophies and old photos survived the blaze. Sanathoi found them discarded on the road. Locals from the Imphal Valley joined members of the Naga community to protest the violence. They demand the government explain how five houses burned while soldiers stood nearby.
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