Inferno razes office building , shed at Khoyathong Polem Leikai
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 23 2011:
In a late night mishap office building of Thangmeiband Development Organisation (TAKDO) located at Khoyathong Polem Leikai has been reduced to rubble in addition to substantial damage caused to a car.
The fire also destroyed several items such as furniture and documents kept in the office building.
Other than the office another structure located on the eastern side belonging to Khumukcham Nandakumar was also burnt.
The items destroyed in this structure included 2 almirahs, three sofa sets, carpets, stationery items, ceiling fans putting the loss incurred at Rs 5.37 lakhs.
The fire is suspected to have started from an unattended fire place.
However, suspecting political hand in the incident, TAKDO volunteers attempted to take out a protest march this evening but timely arrival of a police team prevented the proposed agitation.
It is informed that on the intervening night of November 22-23 nearby residents spotted outbreak of fire and immediately informed the matter to Fire Brigade Department whose belated arrival however could not prevent the inferno from spreading to the adjacent building owned by one Khumukcham Inao.
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TAKDO president Khumukcham Joykisan told media persons today that political hand in the incident could not be ruled out at this juncture.
Contrary to what sources speculate that the fire might have been sparked by an unattended fire-place used to warm TAKDO volunteers and supporters of Kh Joykisan, who will be contesting the forthcoming State assembly elections from Thangmeiband AC, the candidate aspirant was adamant that it was accidental fire.
even though the protest march was foiled by the police, a large number of people who had gathered at the site of incident resolved at an impromptu meeting to defeat all adversary forces at the democratic hustings.
Joykisan also voiced strong condemnation and affirmed that the culprits, if any, would be traced for befitting punishment.
vehicles damaged by the inferno included a Verna (Hyundai) bearing registration No.MNO1K/9273, and partially burnt Getz (MN01K/4689) and a Maruti Car (DL4C8/2588) .
In unrelated incident, unidentified gunmen fire shots and attacked a private residence located at Sapam maning Leikai in Thoubal district at around 11.15 pm yesterday.
Denouncing the act of arson locals staged a sit-in-protest at the locality wherein newspersons were informed that an incident of de-hoisting and tearing apart a flag hoisted at the residential compound of Chingtham Shantipur (31) s/o Ch Khomei preceded last night's incident.
They also maintained that last night unidentified persons enquired whether Shantipur was home.
With none from the house responding to the call, the unidentified persons started to dismantle doors, windows and walls, apparently by using heavy and sharp objects besides firing two shots in the air.
Strongly condemning the incident they made a fervent appeal to all concerned to refrain from such acts in the future.