Correspondent
IMPHAL, Nov 12 (NPN): A woman was killed and at least three men were left with bullet injuries as fresh armed assaults were reported on Thursday, triggering fresh outrage amid the ongoing Naga-Kuki renewed conflict in Manipur’s hill districts.
Reports said that the incident was reported along the Senapati- Kangpokpi inter-district border under Senapati police station in the morning while another man was injured in yet another armed assault incident in Ukhrul district in the afternoon.
The woman killed in the first incident was identified as Kimneineng Chongloi (40) wife of Thanggou Chongloi and the injured men were Sehkhongam David Chongloi (34) son of late Thangmang Chongloi, and Lamkhochon Chongloi (46) son of late Semthang Chongloi. All were residents of Taphou Kuki village.
The reports said that a cross firing between Naga and Kuki armed groups erupted when villagers of Taphou Kuki village and its adjoining Kailengjang village, allegedly accompanied by village guards, were engaging in harvesting activities in their respective fields today, around 10.30 am.
The paddy fields were divided by a stream. However, a disagreement, which details could not be culled out by this correspondent, broke out between the two groups, leading to an exchange of fire.
In the exchange of fire, three villagers from Taphou Kuki village including a woman engaging in the harvesting activities in their field sustained bullet injuries.
The woman later succumbed to bullet injuries.
The two injured persons were rushed to Mission hospital at Kangpokpi district headquarters for immediate medical attention and their conditions were stated to be stable and out of danger.
Any casualty on the other side could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
The police said that following the incident, additional security forces, including Manipur police, CRPF, BSF and Assam Rifles, deployed in the area.
The security forces have cordoned off the nearby villages and were conducting search operations to prevent further escalation of violence.
The two injured persons were evacuated by police and CRPF personnel and shifted to hospital for medical treatment.
Investigation has been initiated, and suspects are being questioned in connection with the incident.
Local reports, however, said that tensions flared up in the areas after village womenfolk allegedly tried to block the movement of security personnel in a bid to disturb the operations.
The tensions escalated when the security forces baton-charged the womenfolk of the villagers who allegedly attempted to block the movement of security personnel.
In video footages widely circulated on the internet, security personnel were seen advancing toward the village while women can be heard shouting against the security forces and seeking help.
Notably, Thursday’s gun clash came amid the heightened tension in Neighbouring Kangpokpi district following the recovery of dead bodies of two youth from the same Taphou Kuki village on November 1, three days after they were abducted by armed miscreants on October 28.
In a separate incident reported in Ukhrul district hours after the gun fight incident in Senapati district, suspected Kuki armed miscreants fired several rounds from Lungter Hills towards farmers of Sinakeithel village, who were harvesting paddy in their fields under Litan police station of the district.
In the incident, one farmer identified as Newton Mahung (45) of Sinakeithel village, sustained a bullet injury to his right shoulder.
The police said that security forces deployed in the Sinakeithel area, comprising Ukhrul district police, BSF and Manipur Rifles (MR), retaliated against the armed miscreants.
The injured man was evacuated by security forces and rushed to Ukhrul district hospital for medical treatment.
The farmers present in the area were also safely evacuated by security forces, the police added.
According to local sources, the Lungter Kaphung area, where the suspected Kuki miscreants fired from, has a BSF post and the place where the suspects fired upon the farmers is only about 80 metres away from the BSF post.
Notably, the Tangkhul (Naga) tribe dominated Sinakeithel was one of the hotspot region during the initial days of the renewed Naga-Kuki conflict which erupted in the Litan area of Ukhrul district in February this year.
The Tangkhul inhabited villages which were frequently targeted by the suspected Kuki militants was roughly under control following the deployment of the additional security forces.