Imphal: Fresh violence erupted in Kangpokpi district of Manipur on Saturday. A 21-year-old village volunteer guarding one of the bunkers was reportedly killed during a gunfight with an unidentified armed group.
According to a reliable source, the incident took place at around 2 am when a group of armed miscreants attacked near Joupi, a Kuki village, which led to the gunfight for around 45 minutes.
The deceased was identified as Khupminthang Haokip, a Kuki-Zo village volunteer, son of (L) Janglal from Phaikholum village.
Soon after the incident, heavy security has been deployed, carrying out combing operations in the area.
This fresh violence occurred just five days after two persons, including an Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel were killed in an ambush near Haorathel in Kangpokpi district.
Condemning the incident, the Committee on Tribal Community (CoTU) had imposed a 48-hour total shutdown in Kangpokpi district, followed by an indefinite economic blockade since November 15 midnight along the national highways 2 and 3 to press the government for justice.
Strongly condemning the continual attack of the Kuki-Zo villages, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) urged the central security forces to protect Joupi and the nearby tribal villages.
The tribal forum alleged that the attack was carried by Meitei militants armed with sophisticated weapons, killing a village volunteer who was guarding one of the bunkers.
Armed with single-barrel rifles, the courageous villagers fought valiantly and managed to push back the attackers. During the melee, some of the assailants reportedly went missing, informed the ITLF in a statement.
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“Upon realising that some of their members were missing, the attackers regrouped and are gathering in significant numbers near Ngarian in Bishnupur district since dawn, indicating a potential escalation of hostilities in the area,” it stated.
The Forum further alleged that there is an imminent threat to Kuki-Zo villages in the surrounding areas as Meitei militants, led by Arambai Tenggol and Meitei police commandos, could launch a bigger attack at any moment.
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