A History of Assam c23.66

c23.66

In March 1891 Mr. Quinton, the Chief Commissioner, proceeded with an escort to Manipur and ordered the Senapati to appear before him. He refused to do so; and, when troops were sent into the palace enclosure to effect his arrest, they were fiercely attacked by the Manipuris. The engagement continued till the evening. An armistice was then agreed to, and the Chief Commissioner and four other officers were induced, under a promise of safe conduct, to go unarmed to a durbar in the palace. No agreement being found possible, they started to return, but the crowd closed in, and one of them was fatally wounded by a spear-thrust. The Chief Commissioner and his companions were then kept prisoners for two hours, after which they were beheaded by the public executioner in front of two stone dragons. The attack on the Residency was resumed, and the defenders, thinking it untenable, retreated to Cachar. A month later, Manipur was occupied by British troops and the persons implicated in the outrage were arrested. The Senapati and some others were executed, and the new Raja and his brothers were transported for life.