Manipur violence: Indian minister's home set on fire by mob

It is the second blaze in as many days at a politician's residence as protests turn increasingly dangerous

Damage after a fire at Manipur minister Nemcha Kipgen's home in Imphal on Wednesday. The next day, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh’s home in Imphal was also torched. AFP

A mob of more than 1,000 people set the house of an Indian minister on fire in the north-eastern state of Manipur.

The incident took place on Thursday when the group surrounded Rajkumar Ranjan Singh’s home in Kongba, Imphal, and threw petrol bombs.

Mr Singh, India’s junior foreign minister, was not at home at the time of the attack.

“I am currently in Kerala for official work,” Mr Ranjan said. "Thankfully, nobody got injured last night at my Imphal home. The miscreants came with petrol bombs and damage has been done to the ground floor and first floor of my home.

“Those indulging in this kind of violence are absolutely inhuman,” he said.

It is the second time a minister’s house has been set ablaze by protestors.

On Wednesday, the official residence of Nemcha Kipgen, the only female minister in Manipur, was targeted in Imphal.

Large-scale violence has left at least 100 dead and displaced tens of thousands since May 3, when clashes began between the majority Hindu Meitei community and Christian Kuki tribes over a government policy that would grant greater benefits to Meiteis.

Manipur has borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, with many hills and valleys. It is governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

About 34 ethnic tribes, roughly 40 per cent of the population, have traditionally inhabited the hilly areas that comprise 90 per cent of the territory.

Crowds and security forces face each other during street clashes in Manipur on Thursday. AFP

The Meiteis, who make up more than half of the population and dominate the valley areas, are confined to only 10 per cent of the land mass.

They have long demanded to be included in the tribe list to gain access to exclusive land rights and job benefits while rising to the status of other tribal groups.

But opposing tribes – mostly Kukis – have expressed their opposition, claiming the Meiteis already dominate the demographic, political and social landscape.

The attacks on the ministers’ houses come after nine armed Meiteis, who were guarding their village at night, were attacked by suspected militants on Tuesday.

Mr Singh had met with a group of leaders from Manipur's Meitei and Kuki communities last month to discuss ways to install peace.