Betel leaf shop attacked, KCP claims
Source: The Sangai Express

Thoubal, August 10 2025: Unknown armed persons fired at a betel leaf shop at Heirok-Wangjing Lamkhai New Market under Thoubal police station early this morning.

The shooting incident occurred at around 4.30 am .

Three bullets hit the shutter of the shop.

The shop is run by one Ningthoujam Bijenkumar alias Roben Singh (45) of Heirok Part-III Tourangbam Leikai Bamol Leirak.

Bijenkumar is a retired Indian Army personnel.

While the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) has claimed responsibility for the shooting alleging that Bijenkumar is allegedly involved in betel leaf business with Kuki militants, he has alleged that he suspects the incident to be linked to a monetary demand of Rs 5 lakh.

He said the monetary demand was made by unknown persons on the charge that he was conducting business with Muslims.

He said he sells betel leaves procured from dealers in Kwakta, Bishnupur district.

Bijenkumar said he is running the shop to support his family and is not involved in any illegal activities.

He said he condemns the incident in the strongest terms.

Thoubal police have registered a case and started an investigation.

In a statement issued to the media, the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party said the shooting was carried out by its cadres.

The outfit said Bijenkumar is allegedly part of a betel-leaf syndicate that include Kuki militants.

He has been acting as a distributor of betel leaves for the districts of Thoubal and Kakching, it said.

While Bijenkumar was earlier warned to abandon the business, he had defied the warning using his connections with other outfits, said the proscribed group.

The syndicate he is part of is connected to Kuki militants in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, supplying and distributing betel-leaves, tobacco products and other intoxicants and earning huge amounts of money.

It is due to money from such syndicates that the Kuki militants are able to wage war, said the proscribed outfit.

Further, one Md Khalid and one Sajay Patel are key persons in the syndicate.

Md Khalid has been a person of interest to the organisation.

He is also allegedly involved in the killing of Yumnam Jiten Meitei, Yumnam Pishak Meitei and Yumnam Premjit by ZRA cadres on August 5, 2023 at Kwakta.

Amid the conflict, the syndicate led by Md Khalid, in coordination with ZRA finance secretary Kenneth, brought in betel leaves from Aizawl to Churachandpur for distribution in the valley.

When the party attempted to capture him, he fled to Churachandpur, said KCP .

For defying the party's warning, there has been a standing order to punish Bijenkumar by shooting him on his leg.

The party comrades are firm on carrying out this order, said the group.

Meanwhile, people unknowingly seem to have decided to stage a protest in response to the shooting incident today.

While this is unfortunate, it may also become a reason for Roben (Bijenkumar) to be given harsher punishments.

The public shouldn't let persons like Roben use them as their shield and muscle, said the KCP .

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