Clash in Ukhrul village
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik
Ukhrul, April 03 2013:
Tension ran high at Khamasom village in Ukhrul district when a group of villagers attacked the Chairman and his men with guns at the village check point yesterday on matters related to timber trade.
Incidentally, Khamasom village had passed a resolution to safeguard their ancestral forest and preserve them and accordingly banned timber trade since 2011.The ban however could not be implemented effectively.
Despite the ban, tt is reported that timber traders from the village itself had loaded around 1000 truckloads of timber in the forest and transported 30 truckloads which was against the decision of village community.
After due consultation and wide notification the Chairman and his men set up a check point at the junction of their village to prevent timber trade.
However a rival group numbering around 30 attacked the persons who were on the duty to check the transportation of timber from their village and opened fire from a gun apart from torching the camp of the guards.
To put the situation under control a police team from Ukhrul PS headed to the village and arrested four persons K Liyar (56), V Shimreingam (50), Moses Awungshi (33) and J Shangai (56).The situation was brought under control with the timely intervention of the police.
So far no casualty has been reported.