Kuki militants terrorise Kwakta, slay 3 sleeping men
Source: The Sangai Express

Moirang/Imphal, August 05 2023: Redefining their continuous offensive against Meitei, Kuki militants unleashed terror at Kwakta in Bishnupur district by killing three sleeping men, all Meiteis in the wee hours of today.

After shooting the sleeping villagers, the Chin-Kuki terrorists hacked the victims with swords.

The incident happened at around 2.30 am.

The victims include a father-son duo and they have been identified as Yumnam Jiten Meitei (54) s/o late Y Ibohal, Yumnam Pishak Meitei (70) and his son Yumnam Premjit (37), all residents of Kwakta Ward 8 .

According to information culled from the spot, Yumnam Pishak was shot on the head while his son Premjit was hacked by a sword on the left shoulder, left arm and right calf.

The Kuki militants also burnt their beds.

It is suspected that the father and the son confronted the Kuki militants before they were killed.

The Kuki militants also barged into the house of Yumnam Jiten.

He was dragged down from his bed and shot on the head in front of the Sanamahi shrine.

One Meitei woman who slept in a neighbouring house of a Meitei Pangal family at the time of the outrageous murder said that their family left their home since Kuki militants declared war on Meitei people on May 3 but she and her younger brother came back and stayed at their home.

However, she slept in a neighbouring Meitei Pangal family's house since the last couple of days after Kuki militants started firing bombs/mortar shells towards their village.

As dogs were barking persistently a little past midnight, the woman and the house owner as well as the three persons killed today came out of their houses and scanned the surrounding areas.

As everything looked fine, they went back to their rooms to sleep.

The dogs started barking again at around 1.30 am.

The house owner (Meitei Pangal) went out to check if anything was wrong.

A little later, the house owner came back with a Kuki militant clad in combat dress.

Terrified on seeing the Kuki militant, the Meitei woman turned her face towards the wall.

Soon, the Kuki militant asked the house owner to turn off all mobile phones.

Y Jiten's mother said that she was with another son at Bishnupur at the time of the brutal murder.

"My son is not the first to die in the ongoing violence.

Many brave sons of the soil have laid down their lives for the cause of Manipur", the bereaved and aged mother said.

She also appealed to all the Meitei people not to be disheartened by the death of her son.

Premjit's cousins/brothers said that he was serving as VDF.

He came back home at night to protect his father after doing his duty.

Notably, Premjit's youngest brother is currently taking refuge at a relief camp.

The Kuki militants sneaked into Kwakta and unleashed terror at the Meitei homes after crossing a buffer zone of around 2 Kms manned by Central security forces.

There are around 15 Meitei houses and they are surrounded by houses belonging to Meitei Pangals.

A few bombs/mortar shells fired by Kuki militants landed at the Meitei houses in the intervening night of July 28 and 29 .

Following news of the death of the three Meitei people, a large number of people came to Kwakta from Imphal and other places in droves.

The crowd set fire to some houses in Ukha Tampak.

In the meantime, a large crowd burnt down some houses of neighbouring Ukha Tampak village.

On seeing the fire, Kuki militants opened fire from a nearby place.

As police came to retrieve the dead bodies, local people maintained that the bodies should be kept untouched until reporters of National publications arrive at the scene.

Later, police took the bodies to RIMS morgue.

On the other hand, it was reported that a large number of Kuki-Zomi people were mobilised to head towards Torbung to burn some already damaged houses of Meiteis.

Subsequent upon the dastardly murder of sleeping men, security forces and Kuki militants were engaged in a gun battle for several hours and five persons sustained injuries.

Two Kuki militants were killed in the gun battle.

This was confirmed by police sources.

Further, a combined team of State forces and local volunteers advanced till Phouljang Bazar which is jointly inhabited by Meitei Pangals and Kukis.

There the volunteers torched some houses.

As Kuki militants fired at the advancing team, one woman sitting at Kwakta Bazar sustained injuries on the left thigh.

She has been identified as one Khangembam Bina of Kumbi.

Two other persons including one personnel of Bishnupur Commando also sustained injuries on the road leading to Thangjing from Kwakta.

The two were brought to Raj Medicity and they are identified as Paonam Apollo (32) s/o Mobi of Kwakeithel Mayaikoibi and Olen Meitei (17) from Torbung Bangla.

Paonam Apollo is a commando personnel while Olen Meitei is a village volunteer.

Apollo sustained minor injury when a bullet fired by Kuki militants scratched the left side of his face.

He was discharged from Raj Medicity after treatment at around noon.

The village volunteer who sustained two bullet injuries on his left knee is still undergoing treatment and is said to be in stable condition.

One L Lalmani was also hit by a bullet on the right side of chest.

Lalmani was originally a resident of Churachandpur but he has been taking shelter in a relief camp at Moirang Okshongbung.

Further, one Md Rahaman (28) s/o Md Rajaodin of Kwakta Ward No 5 also sustained injuries on the arm.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA RK Imo has condemned the murder of three persons by Kuki militants who managed to sneak into the village despite the presence of a massive number of paramilitary personnel.

"The so-called paramilitary forces on duty in the village need to be suspended.

We have been writing letters and memoranda regularly to the Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) that certain security forces are creating uneasiness between the people and the State," he said, adding that "a few units" of the security forces are creating problems.

If proper action is not taken immediately, peace and normalcy would not be restored in the State, Imo said.

"Certain proactive measures need to be taken immediately, and the Chief Security Advisor must look into these aspects.

There are people behind the militants to create trouble.

Who is supplying arms and ammunition to them (militants).

Central Government must answer these questions.

There is violence going on for more than three months.

Central Government must take certain stringent measures to stop violence, otherwise the situation would go out of control.

Manipur needs peace and normalcy," he added.

On the other hand, Kuki militants launched yet another attack at Sanasabi Meitei settlement towards Gwaltabi in Imphal East district today.

The fresh attack was launched by the Kuki militants using sophisticated weapons from Kounu Kuki village side at around 11.50 am.

No one was hurt in the attack.

Sanasabi falls under Yaingangpokpi police station.Sanasabi, Thamnapokpi, Santi Khongbal and Gwaltabi are some of the Meitei villages that have seen multiple attacks during the course of the three months old tension.While the Kuki militants continued to attack from the hilltops, they did not launch a close-quarter attack today due to the presence of Army and BSF personnel in the area, said sources.

Due to such frequent firing by the Kuki militants, the Meitei locals had fled and are staying at relief camps and other safe places.

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