Photo Courtesy: Poknapham
Imphal: Former India footballer Laitonjam Sanathoi has accused central security forces of failing to stop the burning of his home in Manipur's Imphal West district, saying repeated warnings and desperate appeals for help went unanswered before at least five Meitei houses were set ablaze on Saturday, July 11.
The attack took place in Kanto Sabal, a peripheral village in Imphal West, during a march by Kuki protesters from neighbouring Kangpokpi district. Sanathoi's house was among the homes destroyed in the violence.
Speaking to the media while holding football photographs and a championship trophy recovered after the fire, Sanathoi said security personnel stopped him from reaching his home even after he saw smoke rising from the area.
"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. Only after the fire had ended was I allowed to enter."
Sanathoi said the incident has added to years of personal hardship that began after ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in 2023. A former India player who also represented teams in the Santosh Trophy and clubs including FC Kerala and NEROCA FC, he said he was forced to give up professional football because of worsening financial conditions and the need to care for his ailing mother. He later turned to daily wage labour to support his family.
His ordeal did not end there. Sanathoi said he married in February 2023 but, within three months, he and his family were displaced by the violence and moved to a relief camp in neighbouring Khurkhul village, where they have been living ever since. His mother later died after a prolonged illness.
He said he continued visiting his house regularly and had been assured by security personnel stationed in the area that it would remain safe while his family stayed in the relief camp.
"I regularly visited my house, and the security personnel stationed there assured me that my property would remain safe while we stayed in the relief camp. Today, everything has been destroyed. Only my photographs and a trophy survived, and even those I found lying on the road."
Sanathoi also alleged that groups of Kuki protesters had been marching towards Kanto Sabal for the past 10 days before Saturday's violence. Despite the repeated mobilisations, he claimed, security forces did not stop them, allowing the situation to escalate into the burning of Meitei homes.
He questioned the purpose of nearby army and other security camps if they could not protect civilian lives and property during the attack.
Saturday's violence ended after the protesters dispersed, leaving at least five Meitei houses damaged by fire. In the aftermath, large numbers of residents from the Imphal Valley and members of the Naga community visited Kanto Sabal, condemned the attack, demanded justice for the affected families, and urged the government to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
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