Kukis rain bullets in Koutruk, Phubala; arms seized
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR
Imphal, August 16 2023:
Intermittent firings were reported in Koutruk hill and Phu bala areas, even as a combined security team seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition from Twuikun village which is located adjacent to Apunlok canal of Phayeng and Kadangband on Wednesday.
According to a police report, on receiving news of presence of weapons in Twuikun village adjacent to Apunlok canal of Phayeng and Kadangband, a combined team of Imphal West district police, CDO unit and Lamshang PS conducted a search operation in the area at around 2.45 pm on Wednesday.
During the operation, the team found the weapons in a corner along the western side of Phayeng Kadangband road.
The weapons included three pistols, two pistol magazines, one 9mm Carbine submachine gun without magazine, six HE-36 hand grenades with detonator, 10 launching tubes, 12 ballistic rounds marked with H7.62D and six grenade firing rounds.
The weapons were seized at around 3.20 pm after completion of necessary formalities and a case has been registered in this regard.
On the other hand, Kuki militants fired several rounds and bombs at an IRB bunker in Koutruk hill around 5.30 am on Wednesday, a report conveyed.
As per the report, on August 14 at around 7.30 pm, Kuki militants from Bethel's direction began firing some rounds.
After stopping for some time, the militants continued firing into the night.
Another group of Kuki militants from the bunker atop Koutruk hill also joined in the attack.
However, the security forces returned the firing.
The gunfight continued till the morning of August 15 (Tuesday).
The village volunteers guarding the Meitei village in the area moved towards Bethel village and found two elderly people (one male, one female) belonging to Kom community in the village (Bethel).
The two elderly people were handed over to Lamshang PS to prevent any unwanted incidents.
Meanwhile, a combined team of 9 IRB and B-16 BSF deployed at Kadangband, led by Imphal West SP Dr S Ibomcha conducted a search operation at Koutruk Ching Leikai from 11 am till 11.45 am on Wednesday.
In all, 20 houses were searched and 53 people verified.
However, there were no reports of any unrest made.
After the search operation concluded, a joint meeting of clubs and Meira Paibi of Koutruk along with Kangpokpi SP Manoj Prabhakar was held, wherein people of Koutruk urged Imphal West SP Dr S Ibomcha to deploy additional forces in the area.
According to another report, Kuki militants from a bunker in Chingphei village of Churachandpur district fired around 6-7 rounds at farmers who had gone to work in their fields in Phubala Maning under Moirang PS at around 7.30 am on Wednesday.
The farmers fled the area in fear.
Later, Moirang PS, BSF and other state forces arrived and took up security measures to allow the farmers to carry out farming activities, the report added.
Meanwhile, as per a press note of Police Control Room, search operations were conducted in the fringe and vulnerable areas of Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi districts, in which eight arms, 112 ammunition and six explosives were recovered from Bishnupur and Imphal West districts.
Six bunkers were also dismantled in Tengnoupal district.
Intermittent firing was also reported in the adjoining hill areas of Kanto Sabal and Koutruk villages on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Security forces retaliated the firing and repelled the armed miscreants, the press note said.
Appealing to the people not to believe in rumours and be aware of false videos, the Control Room informed that any circulation of the same can be confirmed from the rumour free number - 9233522822.It further appealed to the people to return the looted arms, ammunition and explosives to police or nearest security forces immediately.
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