Meitei villagers wary of fierce attack
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 22 2023: With Kuki militants poised for a fierce attack, Meitei volunteers guarding the premises of Nongpok Ningthou temple fled away from their defensive position of Leikinthabi hills.

Nongpok Ningthou temple is located a little distance above Awang Leikinthabi Water Supply Plant.

Local villagers said that the premises of Nongpok Ningthou is a very sacred site to the Meitei people, and deeply revered since ages.

On seeing the possibility of Kuki militants attacking the place with sophisticated and heavy weapons any time, the Meitei volunteers guarding the place with crude weapons left the place and ran for their lives last afternoon.

The latest development has created a panicky situation among the people of Leikinthabi, Leikinthabi Shantipur and surrounding villages.

There is a Kuki village called Singsat a little distance away from the premises of Nongpok Ningthou temple.

There are two other Kuki villages namely; Luwangshangol and Phaileng next to Singsat.

There were many instances of Kuki people harassing the Meitei villagers in the past even before the current violence erupted, the villagers alleged.

Meitei people of the area believe that there is a designated camp of Kuki militants at Singsat, even though it is not clear whether the camp is official or unofficial, they said.

The Kuki militants' attack at Meitei villages only intensified after May 3, they said.

Talking to this reporter at Awang Leikinthabi community hall today, Koirengei Wangma Village Development Committee president Phijam Priyokumar said that the Meitei villages of Awang Leikinthabi, Leikinthabi Shantipur and Tingri were repeatedly attacked by Kuki militants from atop the hill where the premises of Nongpok Ningthou is located since May 4 .

A large number of bullets fired by Kuki militants landed at the courtyards of many Meitei houses at Sekmai and Leikinthabi Shantipur, Priyokumar said.

Subsequent upon the Kuki militants' repeated attacks, the villagers decided to guard the premises of Nongpok Ningthou but it took almost two hours to climb the hill and reached the sacred premises.

Later, a road was constructed out of contributions made by the villagers.

Since then, Meitei volunteers have been defending the premises of Nongpok Ningthou temple from repeated attacks by Kuki militants.

Some villagers took ration to the Meitei defence volunteers in a Bolero and truck yesterday.

As the villagers were unloading the food items, Assam Rifles troops came to the spot and surrounded the two vehicles.

Sensing some foul play over the sudden development, the village volunteers somehow sneaked out of the area and came back home, leaving behind the two vehicles, Priyokumar conveyed.

Later in the night, the villagers held a meeting with MLA Salam Rajen and local Meira Paibis.

After communication with the SPs of Imphal West and Kangpokpi, it was established that the troops who arrived at the premises of Nongpok Ningthou were personnel of 22 Assam Rifles.

Subsequently, 22 AR was contacted and appealed to keep the two vehicles safe.

The villagers decided to go and take back the vehicles this morning.

In the meantime, the villagers were informed that they might take back their vehicles and police had already gone to the spot.

However, when Pukhrambam Tomba and Ningthoujam Ramison went to take back the vehicles, there was no one except Assam Rifles troops.

The AR troops detained and tortured them after tying up their legs and hands.

They were released only after the police team who stayed back at the foot of the hill communicated with the AR troops.

They brought back the Bolero but they were not allowed to take back the truck, Priyokumar narrated.

He said that Leikinthabi and Leikinthabi Shantipur are highly vulnerable.

There is a designated camp of Kuki militants at Singsat and there have been several instances of Kuki militants torturing Meitei villagers, torching houses and farms, Priyokumar continued.

Kuki militants have already burnt down 19 houses and farms at Chirik Loitong.

Moreover, there were many cases of Kuki militants torturing and killing Meitei villagers.

They also raped Meitei women, he alleged.

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