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The scenes from Sugnu and Serou in Manipur. (News18)
Civilans’ bunkers, green cloth covering spots hit by violence, automatic guns to freedom fighter’s wife being burnt alive — News18 looks at the trail of destruction in Sugnu and Serou, said to be among the worst-hit in Manipur’s ethnic clashes
As the ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kukis continue in Manipur, News18 travelled to Sugnu and Serou, said to be among the worst-hit, to check the state of locals.
Sugnu, a small town at the southern tip of Kakching district in Manipur, bears a ravaged look. The village, which used to be inhabited by both the communities before the clashes began, is entirely burnt down, with just hills and paddy fields now standing testimony to it.
VILLAGERS KEEP VIGIL FROM BUNKERS
Civilian bunkers are common as one proceeds from Thoubal. These are not for the police or security forces, but made by civilians.
Towards Sugnu, News18 was stopped in an area where local villagers are keeping a vigil in this bunker.
A young boy, who is a village protector, said, “We have had enough, we can’t allow outsiders, that’s why it is important that we keep a vigil. We don’t allow outsiders. Look at how they have destroyed this place.”
Both sides of the roads are lined up with only burnt buildings.
GREEN CLOTH COVERING BURNT DOWN VILLAGE & AUTOMATIC GUN
A large cache of arms and ammunition was found in Sugnu and Serou in the first week of June. AK series rifles, 51 mm mortar, carbine and war-like stores were found in these areas. Two Assam rifles sustained injuries, which led to redeployment of additional 48 troops.
From burnt down houses, schools, shops to health centres, the 6-7 km stretch covered by green cloth shows the trail of devastation.
At the end of Sugnu and start of Serou is a bridge, which has an army post. A personnel posted there told News18: “No media has come here till now. We also can’t see this devastation, which is why arrangements were made to cover it with a cloth.”
At the boundary is an automatic gun, which instills a feeling of fear among anyone crossing the area.
FREEDOM FIGHTER’S WIFE BURNT ALIVE
As one crosses Serou bridge, it is another ghost town.
Freedom fighter Sorokhaibam Churachand Singh village still lives there. His wife, locals say, was set on fire, as she could not come out of her house.
Her grandson-in-law, a policeman, told News18: “We don’t know what to do. I am also staying in a camp. She could not come out that day and was set on fire.”
Be it the houses of one community burnt down in Sugnu or the other in Serou, Manipur continues to be the battleground for now.
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