Attack on State Police at Lokchao on Dec 15 KNLF points finger at UKLF
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 02 2017: Lalmoi Haokip, secretary of the Kuki National Liberation Front (UKLF) alleged that the United Kuki Liberation Front led by self style colonel Jankholen Haokip forcibly abducted KNLF chairmen and 5 other cadres after an exchange of gun fight on December 31 morning at New Somtal under Khengjoi Police station, Chandel district .

According to the information provided by Lalmoi Haokip, at around 4 am of December 31, around 40 well armed cadres of UKLF led by UKLF self style corporal Jankholen Haokip and stationed at Khangbarol designated camp some 40 Kms away from New Somtal village came to the village and fired several rounds of bullets which were retaliated by the villagers with their single barrel guns in which one which one of the UKLF cadre also got injured.

He further alleged that after the gun fight, the UKLF cadres abducted KNLF chairman Helun Haokip who is also the chief of New Somtal village along with five other cadres identified as self style sergeant Kankhomang Haokip (29), private Thangmenlien (24), private Lanjagin (20), Lhunkholan (20) and Lhunkhopao (18) .

He also said that on December 30, 2016, a meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) SoO signatory groups was held at 1st Manipur Rifles banquet hall.

During the meeting, he had pointed out that the attack on State Police personnel at Lokchao on December 15 during Chief Minister O Ibobi's visit to Tengnoupal along Imphal-Moreh road was carried out by UKLF at the instruction of NSCN-IM.

He alleged that the ambush was not carried out by NSCN-IM but by UKLF by breaking all the ground rules of SoO and Assam Rifles played a vital role in the attack.

He alleged that on the same evening he received a threat call.

The caller further threatened that he would instruct UKLF to attack KNLF.

The threat call was followed by the December 31 attack, Lalmoi Haokip said.

He maintained that he gave his statement in the interest of the State during the JMG meeting.

He also pointed out that all the cadres of SoO groups should be confined inside their designated camps until the election is over as per instruction of the Election Commission of India.

He further appealed to the JMG to intervene and secure safe release of their chairman and the five abducted cadres as soon as possible.

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