Kuki militants, cops exchange fire
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 14 2023:
Kuki militants and Manipur Police commandos were engaged in an exchange of fire near Khongnangpokpi Kom village which is located at the border of Kangpokpi district and Imphal West district.
A team of police commandos were patrolling the surrounding areas of Khongnangpokpi Kom village when Kuki militants opened fire toward them from the nearby hills in between Khongnangpokpi Kom village and Chirik Leitong at around 4 pm today.
On hearing the gun shots, the commandos immediately took position and retaliated.
After a few minutes, the gun battle grew more intense as the Kuki militants started firing mortar shells in addition to automatic rifles.
As the Kuki militants came down the hill, the commandos retreated toward Mapao Khullen and took position there.
The two sides again fought another gun battle there.
Some BSF personnel are also deployed near Khongnangpokpi Kom village which is not far away from the spot where the Kuki militants came down.
The gun battle ceased after the BSF troops fired some rounds.
However, the Kuki militants again started firing from the hills located adjacent to Khongnangpokpi through which one can go to Luwangshangol at around 6.15 pm.
This resulted in a fresh round of encounter between Kuki militants and security forces which lasted for around half an hour.
However, there was no report of casualty on either side.
Notably, there are Kom, Meitei and Tangkhul villages near the place where the gun battle was fought.
A road leading to Kuki villages like Luwangshangol runs through the hill located adjacent to Khongnangpokpi Kom village.
As such, there have been several instances of gun fights between Kuki militants on one side and security forces and village volunteers on the other in the area.
A few days back, Kuki militants moved to Khongnangpokpi Kom village and raised a flag at the periphery of the village.
Not only that, they opened fire toward the neighbouring Meitei village.
Security forces and volunteers guarding the village retaliated, resulting in a fierce gun battle.
Even after this fierce gun battle, Kuki militants and their supporters burnt down a farm house belonging to an ex-Minister and some other Meitei houses and huts at Chirik Leitong.