Kuki factional gun fight shatters peace at Khengjang
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Kanggui, December 20, 2013:
A fierce gunfight which broke between the suspected armed cadres of KNF(P) and KRA (U) late last night shattered the hard earned peace and tranquillity of the people in Khengjang village and surrounding areas located to the south west of Sapormeina Police Station in Senapati district.
However, there is no report of any causality on either side in the gunfight which lasted for one hour from 9 pm to 10 pm.
Shortly after the first two or three round of gunshots which were heard at around 9 pm, a fierce uninterrupted firing broke out in the village and the panic villagers laid down on the floor of their respective houses with bullets flying everywhere hitting their walls, ceiling, roofs and even utensils, narrated one villager of Khengjang, who added that the gun shot was heard till 10 pm.
The wall of the village community hall as well as the Golden Jubilee Stone of the village were also bore several bullet holes when inspected in the morning, the villager added.
One Van which was parked in front of a house also suffered damage severely.
A Church member recalled, �We were learning a Gospel Hymns for the Christmas in the Church Hall when the firing broke out and all of us lay down on the floor to save our life.� Hearing about the gun fight, a large team of 43 Assam Rifles 'C' Coy from Motbung post rushed and conducted a massive search operation in and around Khengjang village till wee hours today and managed to apprehend three KNF(P) cadres and another two KRA(U) cadres.
The security personnel also recovered a large quantity of arms and live ammunition including one 9 mm Pistol with magazine and live ammunition, one 7.65 mm pistol with magazine and live ammunitions, one .22 Rifles with magazine and live ammunition, two Chinese hand granades, one No.36 hand grenade and one land mine from a suspected hideout of the militants.
According to Major J Pal, Commander of 43 AR Motbung Post, the three apprehended KNF(P) cadres have been identified as Tarzan(26), Cavandish (26) and Lunpimang Kipgen(18) while the two KRA(U) cadres as Sgt.Gogou Chongloi(24) and Dehkholal(38). Meanwhile, Khengjang Village Authority has appealed to all the UG groups not to disturb the prevailing peaceful environment or create any fear psychosis in the mind of the villagers during this Christmas season.
The Village Authority further said that gunfight within the village is a threat to lives of innocent villagers and every right thinking individual should try to avoid such unwanted incident.