Sawmill set on fire, five suspects apprehended in Manipur

Imphal: Timber, machinery, and other property worth approximately Rs. 9 lakh was reduced to ashes in a devastating fire and five suspects who were reportedly involved in setting fire to the sawmill were picked up along with weapons used in the crime for interrogations, the police said on Friday.

The incident happened at Imol near the Pallel, an inter-district of Kakching and Tengnoupal about 50 km from Imphal at around 2 am on Thursday.

The sawmill belonging to a Meitei community namely Mutum Rabi Singh was reduced to ashes when unknown miscreants reportedly set on fire the mill by dousing petrol and kerosene.

Upon getting the information four fire tenders from the Kakching and Pallel rushed to the spot.

But the devastating fire had already engulfed the entire sawmill reducing all the important properties to cinders.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Manipur police and CRPF launched a massive combing operation in and around the incident location, and over 50 persons mostly youths were interrogated.

Later, the five suspects involved in the case were arrested along with the weapons used in the arsenal, the police added.