Kuki militants launch fresh attacks
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 29 2023: Kuki militants launched fresh gun attacks on Meitei villages located in the peripheral areas of Lamlai Assembly Constituency and Saikul Assembly Constituency last night.

Kuki militants fired indiscriminately using sophisticated weapons toward Sabungkhok Khunou, Yaingangpokpi Shanti Khongbal and Thamnapokpi from the Kuki villages located on the hill range of Phaimol, Natum, Kuini and others.

However, there was no report of any casualty.

The local villagers decried that Central security personnel deployed in the area did not fire back a single bullet toward the Kuki militants despite heavy and protracted firing by the Kuki militants, They asked whether the Central security forces would retaliate only when there are casualties among innocent civilians.

They urged the Government to deploy Manipur Police commandos and IRB personnel in place of the Central security forces in their area to thwart any further attack by Kuki militants upon Meitei civilians.

They also vehemently negated the Government's claim that peace and normalcy have returned to the State.

They said that there is no peace or normalcy in their area as Kuki militants have been repeatedly attacking the Meitei villages.

One villager of Thamnapokpi expressed strong resentment that the Central security forces only watched silently when Kuki militants attacked the Meitei villages repeatedly and Yaingangpokpi police never came to enquire about the attacks.

Another village of Yaingangpokpi Shantikhongbal said that Kuki terrorists built bunkers on Yaingangpokpi hill range and they have been occupying the higher ground since the beginning of the violent conflict.

But the Central security forces deployed in the area have been saying nothing to all the belligerent activities of the Kuki terrorists, he decried.

One Meira Paibi leader of Sabungkhok Khunou asked the Central security forces deployed there to leave the place if they are there to watch silently the repeated attacks of Kuki terrorists.

"Leave us alone.

We will defend our villages with whatever means at our disposal", she said to the Central security forces.

The Central security forces have become an instrument of sheer injustice as they would promptly arrest village volunteers if any of the volunteers fire back even a single round from their licensed guns in defence while the Kuki terrorists are given a free hand to attack Meitei villages at will, she said.

She then asked the Government how they would harvest paddy under the unfolding situation.

With the Kuki militants attacking the Meitei villages every now and then, most of the villagers have been staying in safer places and the villages are being guarded by some males only.

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