One Meitei villager hurt in Kuki aggression
Source: The Sangai Express
Moirang, September 01 2023:
Kuki militants continued their offensive for the fourth consecutive day and inflicted injuries to a Meitei villager today.
Kuki militants launched a fierce attack at Phubala, a little distance away from Naranseina and Thamnapokpi today.
As State forces, IRB and village defence volunteers retaliated, a tense gun battle broke out this morning.
Kuki militants started firing indiscriminately toward the western side of Phubala from Haotak (Kom) village and Langjingmanbi (Kuki) village at around 5.30 am.
As State forces and village volunteers were engaged in an intense gun battle with the Kuki militants, one villager who took food to the village volunteers was hit by a bullet in the groin.
The injured victim has been identified as Thangjam Raju (37) of Phubala Awang Mamang Leikai Ward No 2 .
Although there was little exchange of fire in the morning, both Naranseina and Thamnapokpi came under heavy attack from Kuki militants in the afternoon.
After advancing up to Thamnapokpi, Kuki militants fired multiple bombs toward the western side of Ngangkhalawai.
However, there was no report of any casualty.
Before Kuki militants started bombarding Ngang-khalawai, villagers of Phubala had a tense face-off with the troops of Sikh Regiment stationed at Sengpangjar.
The Sikh Regiment's CO was with the village defence volunteers in a bunker of Ngangkhalawai at around 4.30 pm when gun battles were raging at Naranseina, Thamnapokpi and Phubala.
Accusing the Meiteis of attacking the army, the CO, in an infuriated tone, said, "wait and watch what we will do to you" .
As the villagers refuted the CO's allegation and the two sides were engaged in an argument, a bomb fired by Kuki militants landed a short distance away from the rear bunker of Ngangkhalawai.
The villagers immediately pointed out that the bombs fired by Kuki militants have reached Phubala and clarified that the Meiteis never attacked the army.
Although the Sikh Regiment's CO went back to their camp after intervention by State police commandos, his allegation has aggrieved the villagers.
One villager said that they have been obeying the Sikh Regiment's instruction without ever raising any question since they were stationed in the area.
Even as the bullets fired by Kuki militants reached the Ngangkhalawai bunker where the CO and some other personnel were pre-sent, they ducked down and hid behind their Casspir vehicle instead of firing back.
On the contrary, the CO accused the Meiteis of attacking their camp.
He said that they can finish off Ngangkhalawai village within a very short time if they must.
"Earlier when Kuki militants started firing toward Ngangkhalawai, the troops of Sikh Regiment came and asked us not to fire back", said the villager.
"But when we reminded them of their own words that they would take action against the side which opens fire first, they turned around and went back toward Khousabung without saying any word", the villager said.
The Sikh Regiment's hostile attitude towards the Meiteis implies that there is a hidden agenda, he added.