One hurt in militant attack at Molnom
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 04 2016:
A civilian sustained injuries when unidentified armed persons opened fire at Molnom village, Chandel district under Tengnoupal police station last night.
Three youngsters of Molnom village were taking bath in a nearby river after playing volleyball when around 15 men armed with both sophisticated weapons and double barrel shotguns came to the river at around 7 pm.
The armed persons asked the youngsters, "Where are your insurgents? Where do they hide?" .
Then the armed persons forced the youngsters to lie flat on ground before they were thrashed, informed a source.
On hearing the shouts made by one of three youngsters, local womenfolk who were keeping a vigil against abuse of intoxicating substances rushed to the river.
On seeing the womenfolk, the assailants opened fire and fled.
One Lunkhogin Haokip (25) s/o Paokhomang was hurt in the firing and he is currently undergoing treatment at Raj Medicity.
He was rushing towards the direction from where the shouts were heard together with the womenfolk when he was hit by bullets on left eye, right wrist and left shoulder.
Even though it was pellets which hit him, the condition of his injured eye is said to be critical.
Meanwhile, a joint team of Kuki Chiefs' Association Tengnoupal Block, KSO Chandel and Kuki Women Human Rights visited Molnom village.
The team condemned the assault in the strongest term and they also tried their best to assuage Molnom villagers.
Notably, one civilian was shot dead by suspected NSCN-IM cadres at Aimol Ngairong village, Chandel district on August 22 last year.
Molnom villagers have vehemently condemned the incident and urged the authority concerned to take up necessary steps in order to prevent such incident in future.
Members of Kuki Chiefs Associaton (KCA), Chandel and Tengnoupal Block, Kuki Students' Organisation, Thadou Students' Association and other Kuki civil bodies also visited the village to take stock of the situation.
Appealing the involved group(s) or individual(s) not to repeat such life threatening act, the villagers also urged the authority concerned to remove the gate at Aimol Saitu village along old Burma road which has hampered free movement of villagers.