Correspondent
IMPHAL, Jun 13: Armed Naga and Kuki groups engaged in a heavy exchange of fire in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district as violence conflict between the two tribes in the hill areas of restive the state escalated on Saturday.
There were no immediate official reports of casualties on either side. However, some sources which could not officially confirm immediately feared casualty on the armed Kuki side.
Reliable sources said that heavy exchange of fire erupted at Langka, a Naga inhabited village in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district around 8.40 am on Saturday.
In the gunfight that allegedly lasted for about four hours, a buffalo and one dog were killed after they were caught in the cross firing.
Some farm houses belonging to the villagers of Langka were also reduced to ashes. Langka (Taniuluang) Village Authority, in a statement, claimed that the gunfight erupted after the Kuki militants under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement attacked their village today, around 8.40 am.
While strongly condemning the “terror attack” carried out on their village, it blamed militants of KNF(P) group which is under the SoO for the attack.
“The Kuki terrorist camp at Bileijang, a Kuki village, where the non-SoO militant group KNF (Nehlun), a proxy of the KNF(P) SoO group, is based, is commanded by KNF(P) home secretary Jangboi Kipgen, the unified commander of all Kuki militants in Kangpokpi district under both the SoO and non-SoO arrangements,” the village authority alleged.
“They are responsible for the attack on Langka Naga village. It is suspected that more Naga villages in the IT Road area may be attacked by Kuki terrorists in the coming days,” the village authority feared.
Today’s attack came in the aftermath of the reported brutal killing of six Naga individuals, whose bodies were allegedly mutilated and dismembered, the statement added.
“Kuki terrorists launched an attack on the civilian population of Langka Naga village using heavy weapons and explosive devices, causing fear and insecurity among the local population,” the village authority further alleged.
The village authority then urged the state government to conduct a thorough, impartial, and time-bound investigation into the KNF(P) cadres and identify those responsible, especially the KNF (Nehlun) group.
The cadres were stationed in the Kuki villages of Lasan, Songpibung, Baleijang, Haimol, Laloi, it pointed out while urging the authority to take appropriate legal action in accordance with the law before the situation escalates beyond control.
The village authority further called upon all concerned to exercise restraint, maintain peace, uphold the rule of law, and prevent any further escalation of violence.