Sugnu, Serou Meeteis submit affidavits to probe panel
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 02 2024: Affidavits containing detailed account of the brutalities, including killing of Meetei villagers and burning down of houses by armed Kuki militants in Sugnu and Serou area in Kakching district during the ethnic violence since May 3, have been submitted to the Commission of Enquiry (Manipur Violence 2023) at Hotel Imphal, on Tuesday.

The office of the Commission of Enquiry which is headed by Gauhati High Court retired Chief Justice is operating from the Imphal Hotel, North AOC in room number 104.The commission has been constituted to hear the grievances and complaints of the crisis affected people.

The affidavits on behalf of Sugnu villagers was submitted by one Khoirom Muhindro while those of Serou villagers by Moirangthem Sarat and Moirangthem Premjit.

The team which also included lawyers of Manipur High Court submitted the affidavits to the members of the Commission of Enquiry.

Speaking to reporters before submission of the affidavits, one Haobam Imo confided that detailed account of the atrocities committed by the armed Kuki militants against Meetei villagers of Sugnu and Serou since the beginning of the ethnic crisis in the state has been compiled in an affidavit for submission to the commission on Tuesday.

He further informed that under the initiative of MLA K Ranjit, a committee comprising members of adjoining villages of Serou and Sungu in Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Chandel and Kakching was formed to control unwanted incidents from happening between the Kukis and Meeteis settling in these villages.

However, Kukis settling in Serou and Sugnu area started attacking Meetei settlements and torching Meetei houses from May 28.Though MLA Ranjit had urged the government to arrange security for safeguarding the Meetei villages much before the incident, no positive response was received from the government, he lamented.

Haobam Imo further informed that around 2000 Meeteis of Sugnu and Serou took shelter at the residence of MLA K Ranjit following the attack by Kukis on May 28.On the next day, the villagers managed to leave the area in the vehicles of Assam Rifles.

Later in June, the house of the MLA was also set ablaze by the Kukis along with killing one Sorokhaibam Ibetombi Devi of Serou and Athokpam Muhindro of Serou Makha Leikai.

All these detailed reports have been compiled in the affidavit, he disclosed.

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