SP TRANSFERRED - Manipur: Militants set fire to houses, police outposts

Tensions heightened in Manipur's Jiribam district on Saturday after suspected militants torched two police outposts, a forest office and at least 70 houses, prompting the authorities to transfer the superintendent of police, officials said.

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A contingent of more than 70 state police commandos was airlifted from Imphal to Jiribam to assist security personnel in their operations against militants, they said.

Meanwhile, around 239 Meitei people, mostly women and children, were evacuated from peripheral areas of Jiribam on Friday, and moved to a newly set up relief camp at a multi-sports complex in the district, the officials said.

According to a senior officer, suspected militants torched more than 70 houses in Lamtai Khunou, Dibong Khunou, Nunkhal and Begra villages. He said the villagers vacated their residences and took shelter in a relief camp.

The SP's transfer order was issued hours after police outposts of Jiri Mukh and Choto Bekra and the Goakhal forest beat office were set on fire this morning, the officer said.