Affidavits submitted to Commission of Inquiry ; Serou, Sugnu people detail ruthless attacks of Kuki militants
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 02 2024:
The people of Serou and Sugnu who are badly affected by the onslaught of Kuki militants since May 28 midnight in the aftermath of the violent conflict which broke out on May 3, submitted separate affidavits (complaint on affidavit) to the Commission of Inquiry (Manipur Violence 2023) today.
The affidavits were formally submitted at the commission's office opened at Hotel Imphal (room no 104) with Khoirom Muhindro Singh representing the people of Serou and Moirangthem Sarat and Moirangthem Premjit Singh representing the people of Sugnu respectively.
Speaking to media persons after submitting the affidavits, Haobam Ibungo from Serou Bazar gave a brief account about the affidavits.
The mayhem undoubtedly started on May 3 from Churachandpur following the attacks and arson carried out by Kuki militants.
But the Serou-Sugnu area which straddles Chandel, Chura-chandpur, Bishnupur and Kakching districts and inhabited by many communities including Kuki, Meitei, Bengali and Nepali remained unaffected by the violence and peaceful for some weeks, he said.
The tranquility in the area, till May 28 midnight, was achieved, courtesy of a peace committee formed on May 4 at the Sugnu SDPO office under the aegis of Sugnu AC MLA, K Ranjit by incorporating leaders of communities inhabiting the area, he said.
Things however went sour from May 28 midnight when armed kuki militants attacked and burnt down Meitei settlements forcing them to flee their villages.
In between the attacks at Serou-Sugnu area and May 3, the local MLA, considering the series of violent incidents unfolding in other parts of the State, had asked the State Government to deploy at least four companies of BSF in the area to avert any unwanted incident, he said.
Had the Government responded positively to the request of the local MLA, violence and loss of precious lives and properties in the area could have been averted, he said.
Taking advantage of the lack of security arrangement, Kuki militants broke the peace by launching armed attacks on Meitei villages and burning down houses from May 28 midnight.
The sudden midnight attack claimed three innocent villagers in Serou while many houses were razed to ground, he said.
Around 2000 defenceless villagers had to take shelter at the Serou residence of MLA K Ranjit that fateful night before they were evacuated by 37th Assam Rifles to a safer location on the request of the local MLA the next day, he said.
The details of the plight the villagers had to suffer following the attack supported by audio-visual footages captured on mobile phones and other related documents have been enclosed with the affidavits submitted today to the commission, he said.
He also maintained that the affidavits detailed how many innocent people including Sorokhaibam Ibetombi, wife of a late freedom fighter S Surchand and a Nepali were brutally killed during the attacks.
Details of successive onslaught on different dates, occupation of villages in the Sugnu-Serou area by Kuki militants, plights of the affected people scattered across the State after being rendered homeless and losses suffered by the people were also included, he added.