B Gamnom encounter: Many villagers yet to return home
Source: Hueiyen News Service / LB Khuman

Imphal, May 26 2015 : Most of the villagers including women and children, who have fled homes following the recent B Gamnom shootout in which three suspected underground cadres were killed by security forces, are still taking shelter in neighbouring villages fearing after shock violence in the area.

B Gamnom under Yairipok Police Station in Senapati district is located some 51 km northeast of capital Imphal.

The Assam Rifles had claimed that the three persons who were killed in the alleged encounter were rebels and that a huge cache of explosives and ammunition were recovered from their possession after the incident.

But the locals of the area and many Kuki organizations including the Kuki Inpi are not buying the story saying they were innocents and that one of them was the village church secretary.

Gamnom Village, Senapati District

The encounter took place on May 23.The social bodies have claimed that the B Gamnom incident was a 'fake encounter' and sought punishment to the involved Assam Rifles personnel.

A media team visited the violence-hit village on May 25.Six Meitei youths came to the village at around 9:30 am on May 23, B Gamnom village chief Henkhothang Kipgen told the media.

"All the Meitei youths were wearing Jeans pants and T-shirts and carrying bags on their shoulders.

They did not carry arms," Henkhothang said.

The village chief said they requested for a meal and then they sat on a mat waiting for food.

When some villagers were preparing the meal, a team of heavily armed security personnel appeared near the site where ground levelling work for construction of a new church was going on.

Hearing the news about the swooping down of security forces in the area, the village church secretary, Paokholen Khongjai came running to the site.

But the security forces there made him raise both his hands in the air and then started an indiscriminate firing.

The security forces who were present in different locations also rained volley of gunfire on the residential area.

Henkhothang said all villagers rushed out of homes in extreme fear as they were targeted by the security forces.

"Paokholen Khongjai ran away from the site telling the others who were ducking there to avoid bullets that he would go home to protect his children" .

"But on the way he was hit by bullets at a spot about a few steps from his home.

Two of the six Meitei youths were also found dead with their bodies lying under a big tree," he said.

He said still most of the villagers who have fled homes since the incident are taking shelter in neighbouring villages.

B Gamnom incident: Two UNLF cadres among three killed
The proscribed United Nation Liberation Front (UNLF) has on Tuesday disclosed that two of the three persons killed by a combined team of "IOF" at B Gamnom village under Sadar Hills of Senapati district on May 23 were cadres of the outfit.

In a statement signed by UNLF director M Sak-hen identified the slain cadres as Laanthouba 'Lieutenant' Chenglei and 'Sergeant' Tamheiba of MPA, the armed wing of the outfit.

The statement said the 'martyrs' Laanthouba Nameirakpam Jiban alias Chenglei (40), son of N Mohindro of Sunusiphai Awang Leikai and Athouba sergeant Meisnam Abungcha alias Tamheiba, son of M Tombi of Naransena Maning Leikai along with some hill brothers were sent from the MPA GHQ on May 15 to the village on a deputation.

It said they were carrying small arms and therefore they died in the hands of the 'enemy' .

They were shot to death after being overpowered by the IOF, it claimed.

"UNLF and MPA are shocked over their death.

We offer revolutionary salute to them" .

UNLF also grieved over the death of B Gamnom village church secretary Paokholen Khongsai and shared the grief of the bereaved family.

It said lieutenant Chenglei was a heroic officer and soldier who had fought IOF daringly in many gun battles besides launching several attacks on the enemy.

Athouba Chenglei received basic military training of Manipur People's Army (MPA) on October 25, 1997, it said.

The outfit said Athouba Tamheiba joined UNLF on November 5, 2005 and got the basic military training of MPA.

Tamheiba was successful in several ambushes launched against the Assam Rifles.

He had killed a number of Assam Rifles personnel and snatched away huge quantity of arms from the paramilitary force in several encounters, it added.