2 hurt, 6 houses charred in inter-village clash
Source: The Sangai Express

Maram bazar, June 24 2014: A land dispute between Makhan Village and Maram Khullen villages turned into a fierce gun battle of about three and half hours between the two parties inflicting injuries on 2 persons while six houses were burnt down.

The violence broke out at about 8.30 am at Naojai village about 3 kms from Maram Bazar.

According to sources, in the season when everyone in the village were busy preparing for farm work about 100 persons reportedly from Makhan Village dressed in camouflage descended upon the newly established Naojai village inhabited by the Maram Circle villages and started ransacking the houses.

The attack occurred at the disputed land between the two neighboring villages.

Around 9 am the village came under attack in which two youths identified as Rangkuli (30 yrs) s/o Ngauni and Karaiba s/o Paul were injured.

Rangkuli shifted to Naojai village from Ramlung Maram Naga village and Karaiba s/o Paul moved to Naojai from Maram Centre Village.

Rangkuli was hit by a bullet on the waist and was later shifted to Imphal Hospital while Karaiba received injuries on the face.

The attackers managed to make their way to the village as they were better armed forcing the residents of the village to evacuate to safer zone.

The attackers torched 6 houses including Church of the village.

The police arrived at about 9.30 am but could not control the situation and left the battle spot within half an hour to return with more police personnel and fired blank shots to disperse the two groups.

In spite of the intervention of the police the situation remained tense and firing continued till 1 pm, sources claimed.

Rushing to Maram, Deputy Commissioner Jacintha Lazarus, IAS, Superintendent of Police, SDO of Tadubi and District Frontal Organizations like the Naga Peoples' Organization (NPO), Senapati District Students' Association (SDSA), Senapati District Womens' Association and tribe Hohos also reached the spot to appease the fighting villagers.

The DC assured compensation for the houses burnt down and the injured.

Nevertheless, the Maram Khullen Circle villagers urged the DC and the SP of the district not to intervene in the fight between neighbours and that the case should be settled between the two, without a third party involvement, as the two have been neighbors since time immemorial.

Meanwhile, the DC under the power of District Magistrate issued a prohibitory order (curfew) 144 Cr.P.C.1973 at the spot and also within the 1 km radius of some places like Maram Bazaar, Makhan Khuman and Makhan Center.

A statement issued by the Maram Khullen Circle Villages vehemently reacted to the use of automated weapons by the other party.

"When the authority concerned has not authorized use of automated weapons in the district, it is strange that the Makhan Villages were using them.

Is it a terrorist group that is attacking us, they have used carbine, AK 47 rifles, and M16, which is apparent from the cartridge" alleged a man who was involved in the gun fight.

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