Two killed in fresh gunfight at Kangpokpi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal/Kangpokpi, November 20 2023: At least two armed men were killed in a fresh gunfight between Kuki militants and village volunteers today morning.

The gunfight took place at around 10 am at a place adjoining Haraothel village, Leilon, Konsakhul and Kharam Vaiphei villages when heavily armed Kuki militants opened indiscriminate firing toward nearby Meitei villages from Leilon, Konsakhul and Kharam Vaiphei villages of Kangpokpi district.

Villager volunteers of the Meitei villages retaliated.

In the ensuing exchange of fire, two suspected Kuki militants were killed.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) identified the two slain men as Henminlen Vaiphei s/o Luntinlal Vaiphei of Leimakhong Mission Veng and Thangminlun Hangshing s/ o Lunkhongam Hangshing of Khunkho village.

COTU also declared an emergency shutdown in Kangpokpi district.

Henminlen Vaiphei is said to be a personnel of 6th IRB, sources informed.

On receiving reports of the gunfight, a large team of security personnel including paramilitary forces rushed to the site and conducted search operations.

Kuki militants again started firing indiscriminately including bombs toward the Meitei villages at around 3 pm, forcing the village volunteers and security forces to fire back.

The firing continued for around 30 minutes.

Security reinforcements have also rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control.

There is no report of any injury on the side of the village volunteers and security personnel.

Although the firing ceased after around 30 minutes, security personnel had taken up extra security and preventive measures to foil any further attempt to attack the Meitei villages by Kuki militants.

On the other hand, following the killing of the two men, CoTU imposed an emergency shutdown in the whole of Kangpokpi district, shutting down all business establishments and shops, and restricting the movement of vehicles for 48 hours.

The two dead bodies were brought to Motbung PHC where post mortem was conducted before a condolence ceremony was held at Motbung Community Hall as hundreds of Kuki-Zo people across Kangpokpi gathered at Gamgiphai to receive the duo with gun salute from the Kuki-Zo volunteers.

Later, the duo were buried at Martyr's Cemetery at Phaijang village in Kangpokpi district Condemning the alleged ambush and killing of the two innocent Kuki-Zo, CoTU information and publicity secretary Thangtinlen Haokip blamed 'valleybased insurgent groups' for the same.

Urging the Central Government to immediately intervention, Haokip urged the Centre to hand over the killing of Thangminlun Hangshing and Henminlen Vaiphei to the Central Bureau of Investigation to ensure justice to the victims.

CoTU also urged the Central Government to instruct the authorities concerned to take up proactive steps to nab those involved in the brutal attack and killing while directing the authorities concerned to ensure no such attack and killing occur in the Kuki-Zo-dominated areas.

Comment