Army 'fires' as women protest arrest of village volunteers
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 30 2024: Tension erupted in Kumbi area of Bishnupur district as large number of womenfolk took to the street and blocked movement of army vehicles after the army apprehended 11 village volunteers from Wangoo Akashoi, prompting the military personnel to fire shots in the air to disperse the protestors.

Mention may be made that three villagers of Wangoo Akashoi, who went to collect fire woods from the adjacent hill were mercilessly hacked to death by Kuki militants recently.

Local sources said that large number of Meira Paibi members from different parts of the district thronged Kumbi area on Tuesday morning after receiving information of the 2nd Mahar Regiment team apprehending 11 village volunteers along with arms and vehicles.

The women blocked road at Kumbi Lamlong, Kumbi police station and Kumbi Keithel since early morning to stop movement of army troops.

They piled scrap car bodies, broken iron gates and other materials to barricade the road.

However, the army vehicles (Casspir) made their way through the road blocks prompting the women protestors to lie on the road as the last resort to block the movement.

Additional teams of 2nd Mahar Regiment, district police and Kumaon Regiment also arrived while at the same time, number of protestors burgeoned.

As both sides were locked in a stalemate, with the protestors demanding unconditional release of the apprehended village volunteers, the central security forces fired several shots in the air to disperse the protestors.

Later, the commanding officer of 2nd Mahar Regiment, Bishnupur SP, Kumbi MLA Premchandra and Thanga MLA T Robindro came and had talk with the protestors, who insisted on unconditional release of the apprehended village volunteers.

After a dialogue, the army team released the village volunteers but took three AK rifles with 210 rounds, five INSAS rifles with 260 rounds, two SLRs with 158 rounds, two hand grenades, 10 BP jackets and two radio sets, seized from the village volunteers, and handed them over to Imphal police station.

Meanwhile, talking to the media, a Meira Paibi member of Kumbi area said that Kuki militants have been attacking Meetei villages in the foothills since May 3 .

Unlike the Kukis, the Meetei village volunteers never attacked the security forces till date other than defending the peripheral villages from aggression by Kuki militants.

At the same time, the central security forces deployed in the state to contain the conflict did nothing significant to stop the Kuki militants from attacking or to shield the Meetei villagers targeted from the hills.

In such situation, it is up to the Meetei village volunteers to defend themselves, which is why they took up arms to face the armed Kuki militants.

Nevertheless, the central security forces are not arresting the Kuki militants but they are after the Meetei village volunteers, she said while strongly condemning such acts of the central security forces.

According to sources, the Army was stopped from taking away the arms and ammunition they seized Tuesday.

During patrolling in Kumbi area in the early hours, personnel of the Army's 2 Mahar regiment intercepted two SUVs, they said.

"On seeing the Army personnel, the occupants of the two vehicles fled, leaving behind their arms," PTI quoted an official as saying.

A while later, Meira Paibis' gathered at the spot, and demanded that the weapons be handed over to them.

They also demanded that no weapons be confiscated till the conflict, which broke out in May last year, is over.

Hundreds of women blocked the road and prevented the Army convoy from leaving the area, officials said.

To disperse the mob, the Army fired in the air but that too bore no result, they said.

Upon getting to know about the incident, state police forces rushed to the area.

It was then agreed that the Army would later hand the arms to the police, they said.

"Confiscating weapons from village volunteers guarding a fringe area like Kumbi leaves us exposed to possible attacks by armed militants from adjacent hill areas of Churachandpur district," said Jaya Khagenbam, a leader of the protestors.

"Security forces should remember that their inability to protect villages located at the periphery of the Valley led to the emergence of the village volunteers," she said.

The situation is now normal, and the Army personnel have withdrawn from the spot, officials said.

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