Two 'armed' Kukis killed In gunfight in Kpi district
CoTU imposes emergency shutdown to denounce killing, demands CBI inquiry
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 20 2023:
Two Kukis, reportedly armed, were killed in a gunfight with unknown armed persons near Kobsha village under Saparmeina Police Station in Kangpokpi district on Monday morning.
The two deceased have been identified as Henminlen Vaiphei s/o Luntinlal Vaiphei of Leimakhong Mission Veng and Thangminlun Hangshing s/o Lunkhongam Hangshing of Khunkho village.
According to a police report, a heavy gunfight broke out between the unknown attackers and the armed Kukis at a place located in between Haraothel and Kobsha villages around 10am.Henminlen and Thangminlun were killed during the gunfight.
On receiving news of the incident, security forces present nearby rushed to the location and conducted a search of the area.
However, there were no reports of any arrests made.
Notably, Monday's killing in Kangpokpi district is the first major violence after the disappearance of two Meitei students - Avinash and Anthony took place on November 5 after they rode down the red zone on that fateful day.
Their whereabouts are still unknown despite police arresting three suspects in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, armed Kukis fired several rounds at Kout-ruk village from atop Koutruk hill at around 3pm on Monday.
The state forces deployed in the area retaliated the firing.
The exchange of firing lasted for about 20 minutes but no injuries were reported.
On receiving news of the attack, additional teams of Imphal West district police arrived at the location and took up security measures to prevent occurrence of further unwanted incidents.
Denouncing the killing, Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills Kangpokpi imposed an emergency shutdown in the whole of Kangpokpi district for 48 hours.
The bodies of Thangminlun and Henminlen were brought to Motbung PHC where post mortem examinations were conducted.
Later, a condolence ceremony was held at Motbung community hall, with hundreds of Kuki-Zo people from across Kangpokpi gathering at Gamgiphai to receive the duo with gun salute from Kuki-Zo volunteers.
The duo was then buried at Martyr's Cemetery at Phaijang village, Kangpokpi.
According to our Kangpokpi correspondent, one of the victims was a jawan of India Reserve Battalion (IRB).
Monday's incident is the second at the same site where three Kuki people got killed on September 12 .
Speaking to the media, CoTU Information and Publicity secretary Thangtinlen Haokip contended that the attack on Kuki-Zo people once again clearly indicates aggression by the Meeteis in Kuki-Zo dominated territory.
Condemning the ambush and killing of two innocent Kuki-Zo, Thangtinlen demanded the central government for immediate intervention, while further urging the government to hand over the case to CBI to ensure justice to the victims.
He also urged the central government to instruct authorities concerned to take up proactive steps for nabbing those involved in the brutal killings, in addition to directing the authorities to ensure no such attack or killing occur in Kuki-Zo-dominated areas.
In an emergency meeting held on Monday following the killing of the duo, CoTU has demanded the central government to cede to the demand for separation from Manipur, while conveying that the Kuki-Zo people are no longer safe under the partisan government of Manipur.
It also highlighted that if the union home minister had heard the repeated pleas of Kuki-Zo community, the series of unfortunate incidents could have been averted.
As such, taking into account the continuous attacks, political separation is the only option left.
Following the imposition of the emergency total shutdown, shops and business establishments in Kangpokpi district were closed and movement of vehicles along the national highway came to a standstill.
It may be mentioned here that the indefinite economic blockade imposed by CoTU since November 16 is also being enforced along NH-2 and NH-37 .