Farmers leave paddy field after miscreants fire shots

Miscreants on Monday fired shots while farmers from the Meitei community were working in their paddy fields in the fringe area of Imphal East district adjoining Kangpokpi district, in the latest incident of scaring the farmers in strife-torn Manipur.
The latest firing incident took place at the paddy fields at Chanung village under Sagolmang police station of Imphal East district today, around 10 am.
No one was injured in the latest firing incident scaring the farmers that took place amid enhanced security measures being put in place for farmers in vulnerable areas.
After a series of attacks on the farmers, state administration under President’s Rule heightened security for farmers in vulnerable areas so that they can resume their cultivation activities.
The respective district administration had even formed ‘Flying Squads’ to deal with the situation.
Following the latest firing incident, IRB personnel deployed in the area asked the farmers to leave their work place for their safety.
As told by the farmers to reporters from Imphal who rushed to the spot to cull ground zero reports, the shots were fired from the hill side of villages like Phailenkot, Chingdai and Chaulan villages.
A farmer told the reporters that he continued to work even after firing the first round as if it was not a gunshot.
However, after more shots were fired, he left the field hurriedly along with other farmers working nearby after the security forces (IRB personnel) asked them to leave the place for their safety.
A woman farmer said that even after the first shot was fired, they continued working. However, when more shots were fired after a gap of around half an hour, they felt insecure and approached the IRB personnel deployed nearby who asked them to leave the place before any untoward incident happened.
She claimed firing around 10 rounds of shots while. She further decried the police denying the firing taking place in the area saying that they (farmers) were the witnesses of today’s incident.
Notably, the Manipur police, in posts on its official social media platforms, denied reports being circulated on social media regarding the firing incident.
The police posts read, “There are reports circulating on social media of firing upon farmers in Chanung area. However, both Yaingangpokpi Police Station and Sagolmang Police Station have confirmed that no such incident has been reported by any of the security agencies, including 4 Mahar, deployed in and around the area.”
Further information was being collected to ascertain the facts, it read further while requesting the “public not to believe in or spread unverified rumours.”
On the other hand, Farmers Wing of Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) strongly condemned the police for denying the gunfire reports in Chanung area.
In a statement, the Farmers Wing questioned, “Will the police only acknowledge the gunfire when bullets finally hit the farmers?”
It further expressed deep concern over repeated incidents of firing in peripheral villages adjacent to Kuki settlements, claiming that such attacks on farmers have become a recurring threat.
The body demanded immediate intervention and accountability from the state government and security agencies to ensure the safety of farmers working in vulnerable regions.
Notably, the latest alleged firing by miscreants frightening farmers came at a time when the Manipur government claimed enhanced security for farmers carrying out their cultivation works in vulnerable areas in view of repeated attacks on them in the recent time.
The government stated that police personnel have been deployed in vulnerable farming zones, both in the hills and the valley, to assist central security forces in safeguarding agricultural areas.
“Alert messages have been issued to all district superintendents of police from the Police headquarters to immediately implement enhanced security protocols for ongoing farming and cultivation activities,” a government statement had said.
Following this, the district administrations had also informed that ‘flying squads and quick response teams have been set up by the administration for immediate assistance in case of any need.