AR clears air on mortar shelling report
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 06 2023:
Strongly refuting the report published by this daily on July 6 that its troops resorted to mortar shelling on state forces at Sekmai Nongthonband during clashes between Kuki and Meetei miscreants at Luwangsangol and Phailen villages on July 3, the Assam Rifles pointed out that large number of Meetei miscreants started moving towards Phailen village from Mapao and Awang Sekmai areas on the said day.
The columns of Assam Rifles deployed in the area of Hatikhuwa in buffer zone in accordance with requisition given by state government were fired upon by armed rioters from Sekmai area to which the column of Assam Rifles responded only in self-defence.
State forces were not engaged by Assam Rifles at any point of time and the reports alleging Assam Rifles of doing the same was completely baseless.
Expressing deep concern over the report, the Assam Rifles said the report did not highlighted actual incidents of Meetei miscreants firing on Assam Rifles columns deployed in buffer zone.