Imphal, June 02 2009: A 22 year old youth was shot and injured by suspected Kuki UG cadres at Phungtin Veng under Kangpokpi police station last night.

According to information received by press, Thangoumang Vaiphei (22) s/o Haosei of Gelnal village was returning home from Kangpokpi who run a rice hotel and a pan shop there when he was shot by some unidentified persons.

He was brought to RIMS at about 1.30 am today.

Hit by a bullet on the knee, Thangoumang is currently undergoing treatment in Ortho Ward of RIMS.

Talking to media persons, Thangoumang said that he was returning home after closing his rice hotel when he was accosted by three unidentified armed persons before he was shot by one of them with an AK rifle at Phungtin Veng.

The three individuals spoke Kuki dialect, he conveyed.

Before shooting Thangoumang, the armed persons snatched his mobile phone.

He was also assaulted with rifle-butt and asked to run.

Though he refused to run, the armed persons shot at Thangoumang as he began to walk.

Again, as Thangoumang was lying on the ground, hit by a bullet, the armed persons kicked and hit him with rifle-butt.

Thangoumang was brought to RIMS after a village woman came across him.

Meanwhile, the KRA has decried the attack on Thangoumang.

KRA publicity secretary T Simte said that such act committed against the Kuki people was unbecoming for Kuki UG groups or any UG group.

Saying that the KRA would investigate into the matter and punish the culprits, Simte asked all concerned to come up with a clarification.

The KSO, Sadar Hills has also strongly condemned the attack.

In a press release, the KSO appealed to all armed cadres not to repeat such acts of harassing civilians.