International Desk: India’s Manipur is in turmoil again due to shootings and bombings. A woman was shot dead by’suspectedby’suspected cookie militants’ in the state on Sunday. Apart from this, a total of 9 people, including the woman’s 12-year-old daughter, were injured, the state police said in a statement. Two policemen are among the injured.
The state’s home department said in a separate statement that one more person had died. The death toll stands at two.
According to NDTV,NDTV, quoting the state police, the firing started at around 2.30 pm local time on Sunday from Nakhuzhang village of Kangpokpi district,district, inhabited by Kuki people,people, towards Kadangband in Imphal West,West, inhabited by Meitei. A 31-year-old woman named Surbala Ngangbam was killed. Another person lost his life due to gunshot wounds. But his identity is not known. A total of ninenine people,people, including Surbala’s 12-year-old daughter,daughter, were injured in the miscreants’ firing. Among the injured are two policemen and a journalist. The shooting continued till 6 p.m.p.m..
Meanwhile, there have been allegations of drone bombings in Manipur on this day. Residents of Kadangband village claimed that apart from firing, bombs were also targeted at houses by drones. A police officer was injured by a bomb dropped from a drone. A video of bomb dropping has gone viral on social media. It has been seen that the villagers are running to save their lives.
In a post on social media X, the Manipur Police said, ‘Alleged Kuki militants used high-tech drones to drop numerous bombs (RPGs). Drones are commonly used on battlefields to drop bombs, but the use of drones for bomb attacks against security forces and civilians in Manipur is worrisome.
Kangpokpi is a Kuki-dominated area, while West Imphal is a Meitei-dominated valley. The Kuki tribe and the Meiti community have been fighting over various issues since May last year.
The Manipur Home Department condemned the attack in a statement. The home department said, ‘The attack on unarmed Kautruk villagers using drones, bombs,bombs, and sophisticated weapons is unfortunate… Two persons, including a woman, were reported dead and many others injured in firing by Kuki militants. While the state government is making all possible efforts to restore normalcy and peace in Manipur, the state government is taking this attack on unarmed villagers very seriously.
Meanwhile, the Kukis blamed Meitei militants for Sunday’s attack. The Kukis claim that the first shots were fired from Meiteid’s direction. Manipur Congress vice president Lamtinthang Haokip belongs to the Kuki community. “An ambush attempt by Meitei militants between the Leimakhong and Kangchup routes was repelled by volunteers from Kuki village, resulting in an exchange of fire,” he alleged in the X-Post.
He further alleged that the BJP is playing this game to divert attention from the audiotapeaudiotape case of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh belonging to the Meitei community.
Kuki INPI alleged in a statement that valley-based armed groups backed by state forces attempted to ambush a main road used by members of the Kuki tribe, after which ‘Kuki-jo volunteers’ retaliated.
At least more than 220 people have been killed in communal clashes in Manipur for over a year. More than 50,000 people lost their homes and took refuge in refugee camps.
The BJP government of the state achieved great success in the last month in order to restore peace in Manipur. A peace treaty was signed between the Kukis and the Meteids, two warring groups in Jiribam district. The Manipur government claims that both sides agreed to lay down arms and help each other to normalize the situation. However, this peace process in one district could not have any effect on other districts. The incident of loss of life in Kangpokpi district is proof of that.
