Kuki militants torch Meiteis' sacred site at Kongba Maru
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 06 2023: Kuki militants set ablaze parts of the sacred Kongba Maru Laiphamlen under Sangolmang police station in Imphal East and fired several rounds of bullets at Meitei settlements today.

Well armed Kuki militants came down from the nearby hills at around 2 pm and burnt several structures including some portions of the office of Poirei Eethiba Lup and properties of the Meiteis' sacred place of worship.

After receiving news of the incident, State police commandos and a large force of Gorkha Regiment rushed to the area and fired several rounds towards the nearby hills to drive away the militants.

As the forces were conducting search operations, the weather condition worsened forcing the security forces to retreat from the area and position themselves at Eshingthenbi village and surrounding areas for safety and security of the villagers.

Kuki militants torch Meiteis' sacred site at Kongba Maru

While the incident has created a tense situation in the area, people came out of their houses and kept vigil at several locations.

The arson and attack on Meitei settlements has angered the people and they condemn the cowardly attack in the strongest terms, said locals.

Maniton Mutum Meitei, general secretary of UKAL has strongly condemned the attack and burning down of the sacred place of worship.

The Kuki militants have targeted sacred places of worship of the Meiteis.

They have burnt down several sacred places of worship at Koubru, Thangjing and Kongba, he said.

He appealed to the Governor and the Chief Minister to take action against the Kuki militants and end the violence at the earliest.

Our Moirang correspondent reports : Kuki militants have been continuously targeting farmers who go to paddy fields to cultivate paddy in the peripheral areas of Bishnupur district, bordering Churachandpur district.

Some Meitei farmers who went to work on the paddy fields at Lairam Loukon which are located in between Torbung and Phougakchao Ikhai under Kumbi Assembly Constituency were fired at by Kuki militants from nearby areas at around 8.30 am today.

Even though BSF and CRPF troops are deployed at Torbung and Phougakchao Ikhai around the particular paddy fields, they just acted as mute spectators, said the villagers.

Luckily, the farmers managed to escape the Kuki militants' attack without any injury.

With hundreds of houses burnt down by Kuki militants right under the nose of Central security forces and the Kuki militants attacking Meitei villages every single day, the villagers have lost their faith in Central security forces, said the villagers.

Many villagers have even started asking whether deployment of Central security forces in their area was giving undue advantage to the Kuki militants.

They expressed keen desire for deployment of State forces in place of the Central security forces.