Army blocks Manipur Police on rescue mission of stranded villagers
2 injured as Kuki militants rain bullets on several villages
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 27 2024: Once again, Central security forces/Indian Army blocked the movement of Manipur Police personnel thereby indirectly abetting Kuki militants who have been attacking several Meitei villages since December 24 .

The fresh offensive launched by Kuki militants since December 24 went on unabated today as they rained bombs and bullets on several Meitei villages located in the periphery of Yaingangpokpi area.

One village volunteer and a commando personnel sustained injuries in the fierce offensive which lasted for more than six hours.

The village volunteer who sustained minor injury on his right hand from the splinter of a pompi bomb was discharged after treatment at Yaingangpokpi Primary Health Centre.

Army blocks Manipur Police on rescue mission of stranded villagers

The commando personnel who sustained bullet injury on the left shoulder has been identified as K Haridas (37) s/o Rajen of Lamdeng Khunou.

He is undergoing treatment in JNIMS Hospital.

After simultaneous attacks at Thamnapokpi, Shantikhongbal and Sabungkhok Khunou, Kuki militants started bombarding Sanasabi at around 10 am.

State security forces deployed in the area retaliated resulting in a heavy exchange of fire.

The situation turned ugly when a team of Manipur Police who were on their way toward Sanasabi and Thamna- pokpi to rescue people from the battlefield was blocked by the Indian Army.

It was not the first time Central security forces blocked the movement of Manipur Police.

On August 5, 2023, a unit of Assam Rifles obstructed Manipur Police from chasing Kuki militants who were fleeing after murdering three sleeping Meitei men at Kwakta, Bishnupur district.

Manipur Police even registered a case against the Assam Rifles' unit for obstructing them in discharging their duties.

Earlier on June 2, 2023, troops of 37 Assam Rifles surrounded Sugnu police station and blocked the two entrance gates of the police station by parking their bullet-proof vehicles across the two gates.

It resulted in a tense stand off between Manipur Police and Assam Rifles and its video went viral on social media.

After a heated argument, the army vehicle made way for the commando team and the commandos evacuated more than 80 villagers, mostly children, women and aged persons from Sanasabi and Thamnapokpi in their casspir vehicles up to Yaingangpokpi Bazar.

On the other hand, as the Kuki militants rained bombs and bullets at Sanasabi, Thamnapokpi, Shanti-khongbal and Sabungkhok Khunou, the battle went on for more than six hours till 4 pm.

Taking positions inside their bunkers built on the nearby hill ranges, the Kuki militants were seen using sophisticated weapons and firing indiscriminately.

The Kuki militants ceased firing only after the arrival of reinforcement security teams.

However, army troops deployed in the area did not fire back a single bullet even as the Kuki militants were targeting innocent civilians.

Rather, they blocked movement of all people including Manipur Police.

Enraged by the biased and partisan behaviour of the army troops, local womenfolk and Meira Paibis staged a spirited protest and confronted the army personnel.

They ultimately drove away the army personnel who were blocking roads at Thamnapokpi and Shantikhongbal.

On seeing some people gathered at Thamnapokpi playground for MGNREGS works, Kuki militants launched a fierce attack by firing bombs and bullets from Thamnapokpi Uyok Ching.

Soon after, Kuki militants started raining bombs and bullets at Sanasabi, Shanti-khongbal, Sabungkhok Khunou and Sabungkhok too.

It has been four days since the Kuki militants have been attacking these Meitei villages.

With the Central security forces doing nothing to drive away the Kuki militants who have taken positions on the nearby hills, the villagers can do very little to stop the attacks except watch helplessly.

Notably, Kuki militants have built a number of bunkers and even set up camps on the nearby hills.

The villagers have repeatedly urged the Chief Minister to drive out the Kuki militants from the nearby hills but to no avail so far.

While Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been talking about the arms looted from different police armouries in the valley area, no one from Delhi has ever questioned from where the guns used by the Kukis have come.

Meanwhile, sources informed that the Kuki militants who ceased firing at around 4 pm resumed their attack on the Meitei villages at around 6.15 pm and the battle was going on till the time of filing this report.