Unidentified people opened fire at Lord Jagannath’s chariot, popularly known as Konung Kang, in Shree Shree Govindajee temple in Manipur’s Imphal East district on Friday. There were no reports of any casualties, and the assembling work of the chariot continued uninterrupted.
The temple board, which is organising the Ratha Yatra, confirmed that the procession will proceed as scheduled on July 8 at 1.30 pm.
The armed miscreants fired shots despite the presence of the Border Security Force (BSF) and state forces, causing tension in the area. According to police, the attack occurred around 12.30 am.
“Security has been tightened in the area following the fire incident. Those behind the incident are yet to be identified,” said the police.
A team of central forces was guarding the site where the firing occurred, and an investigation is in full swing to arrest the culprits involved in the attack, the police added.
Amid ongoing unrest in Manipur, the decision to organise the Ratha Yatra was taken by the board members, including Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, who serve as chairman and vice-chairman, respectively.
The Ratha Yatra has been a topic of discussion on social media, with some sections of society calling for its cancellation due to the state’s unrest.
