Mongbung Meetei village face countless bomb attacks
Source: Chronicle News Service
Jiribam, November 10 2024:
The situation in Mongbung Meetei village is becoming increasingly alarming for the residents as armed Kuki continue to rain bombs on the village since Saturday night.
According to reports culled from the spot, countless explosions rocked the village starting from 9 pm Saturday, causing mass panic amongst the villagers and prompting them to seek refuge at premises of Manipur police commandos for safety.
As per one of the villages, after a dispute between Kuki and Hmar communities in Jarolpokpi Hmar village, which has Mongbung Meetei at the neighbouring village some three days back, additional security forces were deployed in the area and search operations carried out in Mongbung village.
During the operation, armed Kuki-Hmar members fired several rounds from Jarolpokpi Hmar village but the security forces did not take any action.
Instead, a Casspir was parked in an area between Mongbung Meetei and Jarolpokpi Hmar village under the excuse of protecting the people.
However, the CRPF personnel remained as bystanders while the armed Kuki-Hmar members constructed bunkers and moved around openly displaying weapons.
As the movement of armed Kuki-Hmar members increased, Meetei villagers maintained vigil.
Subsequently, the armed Kuki-Hmar members unleashed bombs on Mongbung Meetei village from Saturday 9pm onwards.
When the attack happened, the CRPF personnel instead of returning fire and protecting the village, moved the Casspir back into the centre village as if to "hide" themselves.
Prior to the attacks, Meira Paibi members along with women and children of the village had been staying at the local mandop (community hall) .
However, as the village was bombarded with more than 60 bombs, they left the mandop and sought refuge at the CRPF camp.
When the large number of women and children arrived at the camp, the CRPF personnel told them to go to the police commando camp and as such, they went and stayed at the latter's camp.
Shortly after the people left the mandop, one of the bombs landed and exploded.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
Questioning how long the villagers are supposed to bear such frequent attacks, the villager informed that people from Kuki and Hmar villagers surrounding Mongbung Meetei village are continuously descending from the hills and constructing bunkers in nearby areas, with continuous movement of armed persons in the area.
This has put the villagers of Mongbung Meetei in a restless state.
Despite the situation escalating to such a dangerous level, the state government seems to care less about the villagers, which is unfortunate.
As such, the villager urged the government to take up all necessary action to protect the villages.
Meanwhile, when media persons visited Mongbung village on Sunday, a bomb landed and exploded at the porch of one Khwairakpam Ngounu w/o (L) Kh Babaton of the village.
Fortunately, none of the family was in the house at the time.
However, the house Suffered extensive damages.
Other bombs also landed and exploded at the courtyards of one Laitonjam Lei-baklei and Samdong Babaton, along with the one at the mandop.
The media persons were further inspecting other sites, when several rounds were fired from Jarolpokpi side.
They also spotted the movement of armed Kuki-Hmar members on the hills adjacent to the Meetei village and as such, could not collect any more information.
On the other hand, armed Kukis fired several rounds at Uchathol and Leingangpokpi Meetei villages in Jiribam at the same time when the attack was carried out at Mongbung Meetei Village.
However, the CRPF and IRB personnel posted in the area returned fire.
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