TD Minister's house burnt in anti-ADC poll furore
Source: The Sangai Express

Senapati, June 02 2010: The residential building of Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii was reportedly attacked and set on fire by unidentified persons including armed miscreants last night at Senapati district headquarters.

According to information received by the press, more than 20 armed persons descended on the house and set on fire the building located at Senapati district headquarters at around 11.30 pm yesterday.

President of the Senapati based Naga People's Organisation Dili Mao has expressed deep anguish over the act of arson.

The charred remains of the residence of TD Minister DD Thaisii at Senapati

However, the SP of the district N K Ujjwal, while talking to mediapersons today morning in connection with the security measures being taken up in view of the ADC election and the opposition to the election from some quarters, maintained that apart from some minor incidents, there is no report of any major violent incidents from any part of the district.

Talking to mediapersons in connection with last night's act of arson on the Minister's house, Florence, an eyewitness and relative of the Minister, informed that as the Minister and his family members are at Imphal, she (Florence), her sister Belle and her (Belle's) around one month old son are staying in the house.

At around 11.30 pm yesterday, they heard some persons knocking at the door of the guest house attached to the Minister's residence and asked them to come out.

As soon as they came out, the unidentified persons, some of whom were armed, poured petrol and set the guest house on fire.

After that, the arsonists went inside the double-storeyed residential building of the Minister and set on fire a room.

They also damaged all the doors and windows of the house, Florence recalled.

All the 12 rooms of the guest house having attached kitchen and bathrooms have been gutted in the fire and the goods kept inside them destroyed beyond redemption.

In the fire in a room of the double-storeyed residential building, beds, almirahs and cloths kept inside it have been destroyed.

On hearing the news of the fire, fire service personnel reportedly rushed in and extinguished the fire from spreading to other rooms.

The monetary value of the properties lost in the fire has not yet been worked out.

On the other hand, the house of an Independent candidate identified as Jacob was also reportedly attacked by unidentified armed persons in the wee hours today.

The house is located near Mount Everest College, Senapati district headquarters.

Jacob is contesting from a constituency under Purul sub-division as an Independent candidate.