Manipur footballer Chinglensana Singh puts career on back-burner after house torched, family displaced

Weeks after Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu appealed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve conflict in her home state Manipur, another Manipur athlete's story concerning the unrest has come to the fore.

Indian footballer Chinglensana Singh has had to miss two tournaments, the Inter-Continental Cup and the South Asian Football Federation Championship, after his house in Manipur, was torched and vandalized by miscreants.

Hailing from Khumujama Leikai in Churachandpur district, the footballer was in Kozhikode in May, playing for Hyderabad FC in the AFC Cup playoff when he received news that his Manipur house and a football turf he had built were destroyed in the conflict.

'It has taken away everything from us, everything we earned, everything we had,' Singh told news agency PTI.

'I heard the news of our house being torched and then the football turf that I built in Churachandpur was burnt. It was really heartbreaking,' the 27-year-old footballer narrated.

He added, 'I had the big dream of providing a platform to the youngsters but it was taken away. Fortunately, my family escaped the violence and was shifted to a relief centre.'

Singh and his family is currently residing at friend and fellow footballer Salam Ranjan Singh's house in Bishnupur district, according to a report by Sportstar.

The news outlet quoted Singh as saying that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was also supporting the centre-back during this trying time.

According to the report, Singh also hoped that the issue would be resolved soon, 'I hope the Government takes steps regarding that for us all to coexist peacefully. That is the best solution because we need them, they need us.'

'As a normal human being from the state, my belief is that we can coexist together peacefully and, as usual, we can happily live together. Sooner than later because a lot of people are struggling,' the footballer concluded.

The violence in the North Eastern state was sparked by a court ruling in March that granted the majority Meitei scheduled caste status, entitling them to the same economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education as the minority Kuki.

It also allowed Meiteis to buy land in the hills, where the Kukis predominately live, further fuelling fears that their lands, jobs and opportunities would be taken away.

Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after a May 4 video surfaced on July 20 showing two women from one of the warring communities being paraded naked by a few men from the other side.

(with PTI inputs)

Also Watch: Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu appeals to PM Modi to resolve conflict in her home state Manipur