The house of D.D. Thaisii, Manipur Minister of Tribal Welfare, in Senapati district was burned to cinders by some armed militants on Tuesday night. Police said this was in protest against the holding of the Autonomous District Council (ADC) elections in the State.
The house and all valuables could not be saved despite the best efforts of the villagers and the fire-fighters. One school building was set afire in Senapati district. Also, some wooden bridges were torched in a bid to prevent the election personnel from reaching polling stations. Some armed militants had also raided the house of a Congress candidate at Noney in Tamenglong district at Tuesday night and tried to set it afire. However, several tribal women beat them up and chased them away out of the village. In Senapati district, houses of nine candidates were torched by armed persons some days ago. There had been attempts to manhandle candidates.
Altogether 81 candidates are in the fray for Wednesday's ADC elections in Tamenglong, Senapati and Ukhrul districts. Though there are 72 constituencies in these three districts, elections are held in 30 seats since Congress and some independents in the remaining seats were declared to have been elected uncontested.
