A Lord Shiva temple in northeastern India’s Manipur was partially damaged after unknown attackers set it on fire twice, with the second attack.

The incident took place at the Shri Shri Pashupati Nath Mandir, a Lord Shiva temple located in Karong area of Senapati district on September 25.

Visuals showed the attackers threw a burning log into the temple’s courtyard, targeting a door. The attack, which occurred during the early hours, was the second within a few weeks. In the first attack, a masked man was seen in the footage hiding behind a pillar before fleeing the scene.

Fortunately, residents and temple caretakers acted swiftly to douse the flames before they could spread and cause further damage.

The Naga Peoples’ Organisation (NPO) and the Karong-Senapati Town Committee (KSTC) released a joint statement condemning the attack. “Senapati is a peace-loving town where everyone has been practising their religion. Any element that disrupts social harmony is highly condemnable,” their statement read.

Police are treating the incident as a serious attempt to stir communal tensions in the multi-ethnic district, which has largely remained peaceful since May 2023. This comes amid ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur, where clashes between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes have resulted in over 220 deaths and the displacement of nearly 50,000 people since May 2023.

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