Three killed in attack during condolence meeting
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 12 2021:
Three persons including a village chief were killed while a toddler suffered injuries when suspected cadres of a Kuki militant group opened fire towards a public meeting held Tuesday at B Gamnom village under Kangpokpi district.
The deceased have been identified as Paolal Kipgen (51) son of Kamkhontinthang Kipgen of Nokholen village; Lalminthang Kipgen (9) s/o Hernial Kipgen of B Gamnom village and Jamkholal Khongsai (68) of Saichang village.
Paolal Kipgen was chief of Nokhonlen village.
The injured toddler has been identified as Zoel alias Lalmingun (2) son of Seiminthang of B Gamnom village.
He has been admitted to RIMS and his condition is stated to be critical.
According to a police source, two of the four KNLA militants killed during an encounter with security forces on October 10 near Saichang village namely Ngamjapao Khongsai and Paotinthang Kipgen hailed from B Gamnom village.
A prayer cum condolence meet for the deceased militants was held at the village Tuesday and it was attended by villagers of B Gamnom, Saichang and Nokholen.
Not long after the meeting began at about 11.30am, around 10 well-armed cadres of a suspected Kuki militant group in full combat dress came at the meeting venue and opened fire indiscriminately and started thrashing Villagers.
The militants also damaged one Bolero, one Maruti Gypsy vehicle and around 30 Kenbo bikes of Myanmar used by villagers to reach the meeting venue.
The action of the militants forced the villagers to flee out of fear and the militants too left the venue after breaking the meeting.
Immediately after getting the news, a combined team of Imphal West police commando and 16 Assam Rifles rushed to B Gamnom village and conducted search operation in and around the village but no arrest could be made.
To avoid further unwanted incidents, a team of Imphal West police commando has been deployed at B Gamnom village.
Bodies of those killed in the incident have been recovered and deposited at JNIMS mortuary for post mortem.
Meanwhile, identities of the suspected Kuki militants who were killed during an encounter with 21 Para Special Forces on October 10 near Hengjang village under Kangpokpi district have been established and post mortem of the corpses Conducted on Tuesday at JNIMS mortuary.
The deceased militants were Ngamjapao Khongsai (37) of B Gamnom village, Paotinthang Kipgen (38) also of B Gamnom village, Thangkholun Gangte (24) of Leizon Veng, Churachandpur and Lanminthang Haokip (18) of Paikhulum village, Churachandpur.
All of them were said to be cadres of KNLA.