'If AR has failed, State Govt must protect border'
Border villages should be protected : Leishiyo
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 27 2026: If the Assam Rifles has failed to fulfil their designated duty of safeguarding the State's boundary, the State Government must step in and protect the State's boundary, asserted ruling MLA Leishiyo Keishing.

Together with a team of media persons, Leishiyo Keishing visited the border village of Pilong in Kamjong district where KNA-B militants infiltrated into the Indian territory and killed four Naga civilians on September 24, 2026 .

During his two-day visit to Pilong and other adjoining border villages from September 25 to 26, the MLA made a direct assessment of the security situation at the border villages.

Leishiyo Keishing said that a police outpost opened at Skipe had been withdrawn by the Government.

Saying that Skipe is a Government recognised village and it has around 30 households, the MLA said he wanted to know why the Government closed down the police outpost opened there.

Noting that residents of the border villages have fled to safer places following repeated attacks by foreign militants, the MLA said it's time for the Government to ponder over whether it has failed in its fundamental duty of safeguarding the State's boundary.

The Government must pay special attention toward resettlement of the villagers at their native villages.

He said that most of the border villages in Kamjong district are totally deserted as if they have been taken over by a foreign country.

He urged the Government to reopen the police outpost at Skipe in order to reclaim the State's lost villages.

Showing some spent bullets collected from Pilong village where four Naga civilians were shot dead, Leishiyo Keishing said that the origin of the bullets can be ascertained after a thorough examination in a laboratory.

Saying that he was deeply shocked and hurt on seeing the deserted picture of Pilong village, the MLA questioned the meaning of the claims of protecting the State's boundary by sitting at Imphal or Kamjong district headquarters or towns.

The Government is there to protect its citizens and the State's boundary.

But it appears that the Government is neither protecting its citizens nor safeguarding the State's boundary, he remarked.

The MLA also showed some bullets of AK-47 and M-16 at the verandah of Vareishim Jajo's house where he was shot dead along with his son Phami Jajo.

Standing at the verandah, Leishiyo Keishing asserted that the spot where he was standing is inside the territory of Manipur (India), and showed the blood stains scattered on the verandah.

Assam Rifles are entrusted to guard the State's boundary.

If they (Assam Rifles) have failed to discharge their duties, the State Government must safeguard the State's territory, the MLA asserted.

Informing that the State Government has been requested to station three companies of IRB at the border villages, he exuded confidence that the Government would fulfil the request at the earliest.

Since 2016, public leaders of Kamjong district have been working to develop Pilong village as a trade centre.

Pilong is located about 40 Kms away from Kamjong police station.

A large number of heavily armed KNA-B militants are present in Myanmar villages across the international border which are just two minutes' walking distance from Pilong, Leishiyo Keishing said.

As they had a foreboding that KNA-B militants may infiltrate into the Indian territory and attack the border villages, the residents of Pilong requested the Government and the Kamjong district administration to station adequate security forces at the border villages.

But the authorities did not listen to the villagers' request and no security force was sent, said some Pilong villagers.

Pilong headman Zingmin Jajo told The Sangai Express that development of Pilong as a trade centre was progressing rapidly but the Meitei-Kuki conflict which erupted on May 3, 2023 slowed down the progress.

Following the violence which took place on February 7, 2026, residents of the border villages of Pilong, Skipe, Aloyo, Choro, Namlee and Wanglee abandoned their villages, Zingmin said.

Despite the apprehension for attacks and the fear of security, groups of five men were guarding Pilong village on a rotational basis.

The four men killed by KNA-B and the lone survivor were guarding the village, the headman said.

He expressed strong commitment to develop Pilong as a trade centre provided the Government stations adequate strength of Manipur Police or other State forces.

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