Student, cop, Kuki militants killed in gunfights
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 07 2023: A police commando and a student were killed while two persons sustained bullet injuries as well after armed Kuki militants carried out attacks at three places on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.

The deceased police corn-mando has been identified as Pukhram Randhir (39) of Moirang Lamkhai, who was attached to Bishnupur police commando, and the student as Mayengbam Ricky, 20 son of lbomcha of Moirang Turel-band Kwakta Ward No 9 .

As per information received here, well-armed Kuki mil-itants launched attack at Moirang, Turelband Kwak-ta Ward No 9 in Bishnupur district from 1.30am Friday.

Amidst the attack, Rocky tied to move towards a safer loca-tion on a two-wheeler but he was fired at by Kuki militants who were waiting for ambush.

Student, cop, Kuki militants killed in gunfights

Rocky suffered multiple bul-let wounds and died on the spot instantly while another person was also hit by bullets fired by Kuki militants.

Bishnupur district police commandos on duty at Moi-rang and along Tiddim road rushed to the area as the attack continued and engaged the perpetrators in a fierce gunfight.

The Kuki militants also attacked BSF team de-ployed at Phougakchao Awang Leikai using mortar shells and sophisticated weapons.

When the BSF team retaliated, two Kuki militants were killed.

After getting news of the incident, several teams of Manipur police commando, IRB and special commando rushed to the area early morn-ing and joined the fire-fight.

At about 3pm, one Kuki mil-itant was killed and around 10 others were injured when special commando team fired towards bunkers of Kuki mili-tants.

During the gun- fight at about 6pm, Pukhram Randhir was hit by a bullet fired by Kuki militant and succumbed to injuries on the way to hos-pital.

Gun-fight in the said area continued till the time of filing this report.

Notably, CRPF personnel are deployed at Kangvai Heikol village from where the Kuki militants launched attack while a unit of Assam Rifles is stationed nearby the lo-cation where Kuki militants have built bunkers.

Meanwhile, large numbers of women came out to Tiddim road and blocked the road.

When the women folk stopped a team of Assam Rifles, the AR troopers caned the women injuring many.

On the other hand, Kuki militants launched attack using lathod bombs at state forces deployed at Koutruk foothills on Friday afternoon which the state forces retali-ated resulting in gunfights be-tween the two till late evening.

However, there is no report of casualty on either side.

Kuki militants also attacked Khoijumantabi Meetei village since the intervening night of Thursday and Friday and launched bomb attacks on state force and villager volunteers.

Though the encounter continued till late evening casualty, if any, could not be ascertained.

A police commando deployed in the area informed media per-sons about difficulties faced by state force in and inaction by authority concerned to redress their inconveniences.

Since the violence erupted on May 3, Kuki militants killed some Manipur police commando but there has been no announce-ment from the government for welfare or assistance for bereaved families of police commandos, they regretted.

On the other-hand, bodies of two missing youths, identified as lrengbam Chingkhe-inganba, 26, and Sagolshem Nganleiba, 33, were recovered from near a pit in Leikinthabai village, located 17 km north of Imphal.

It is believed that the captors shot them at close range before abandoning their bodies in the pit.

The victims hailed from Sekmaijin Khunou in Kakching district and had travelled to Sekmai village on July 4 .

The last contact with their family mem-bers was on Tuesday afternoon, according to reliable sources.

Hiyanglam police have confirmed that a missing person report was filed by the family members of the two men on July 5 .

The distressing news of their killing was first brought to their attention through social media platforms.