In a concerning incident, the temples of Ibudhou Pakhangba and Ibendhou Leisana at Uyal Cheirao Ching in Manipur’s Thoubal district were found desecrated by unknown assailants.

The desecration, discovered by early morning joggers on Wednesday, May 22 has ignited widespread outrage and sorrow among followers of Sanamahism.

The attack, which took place late Tuesday night, saw miscreants break into the temples, incinerating sacred items belonging to the deities.

The destruction of these artefacts, which hold immense cultural and religious significance, has been described as a deliberate act of sacrilege aimed at undermining the spiritual heritage of the Meitei community.

Upon discovering the desecration, community leaders, including Angom Ningthou Pariton of Uttra Shanglen, Sana Konung, and political activist Sapamcha Kangleipal, along with volunteers from Kanglei Ngaklou, promptly visited the site.

They assessed the extensive damage and condemned the act in the strongest terms.

Expressing deep sorrow and anger, Angom Ningthou Pariton labelled the incident as extremely unfortunate, declaring the day a black day for followers of Sanamahism.

He called on the state government to implement stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Political activist Sapamcha Kangleipal also addressed the media, urging the perpetrators to surrender and emphasized the gravity of challenging the Meitei society and its religious beliefs.

A team from Thoubal police station, led by the officer in charge, conducted a preliminary investigation at the site.

While the identity and motives of the assailants remain unknown, authorities are pursuing all leads to apprehend those responsible.

The incident has united the community in grief and anger, with calls for justice and heightened security for cultural and religious landmarks across the region.