Manipur Police Stop Mob After Arson in Imphal West

Security forces in the Imphal West district of Manipur averted a major communal clash on July 11, 2026, after a mob of approximately 600 to 1,000 people attempted to advance toward the Kanto Sabal area. The tension began when miscreants, allegedly from the Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district, torched three to four abandoned houses belonging to the Meitei community near the Leimakhong Military Station.

Yumnam Khemchand Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur, condemned the arson as a deliberate attempt by vested interests to disrupt the state's ongoing peace process. To disperse the gathering and prevent further violence, the Manipur Police and Central Armed Police Forces deployed tear gas shells, smoke bombs, and baton charges. While some reports indicated several injuries during the operation, officials confirmed there were no fatalities.

A joint team of police and military forces arrested two individuals for their alleged involvement in the arson and mob disturbance: Kammang Lhouvum, the Chief of Hengjang Village and Chairman of the Leimakhong Area Protection Committee, and Pagin Hangshing. Local residents alleged that security forces failed to protect the houses from the initial attack, but the Manipur Police maintained that they intervened promptly to contain the situation. State and federal security forces remain deployed in the region to prevent a recurrence of the violence.