Imphal: Three Meiteis and one Kuki-Zo persons were killed, while 3 were injured; 3 churches and 29 houses were torched in different locations of Manipur foothills in a fresh violence at Khoijumantabi under Kumbi Police Station of Bishnupur District, and Langza and Chinglangmei villages of Churachandpur District in the wee hours of Sunday.
The deceased from the Meitei community, all residences of Khoijuman Tabi village are identified as Ningombam Ibomcha (32), Haobam Ipocha (40), and Naorem Rajkumar (25) respectively, while the Kuki-Zo diseased is identifed as David Theik of Langza, a Hmar village under Sagang area of Churachandpur District.
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According to sources, suspected Kuki militants suddenly fired on a bunker where the local Meitei volunteers were guarding in Khoijuman Tabi village. Angry mob of the village brought all the body of the deceased to the residence of MLA of Kumbi Assembly Constituency, Sunday morning.
Manipur chief minister paid a visit to the hill-site of Khoijumantabi village and meet the families of the deceased killed.
“Inspected the on ground situation at Laingoubi Ching where firing happened which led to several casualties early in the morning today. Whoever is responsible for continuing this violence, this must be immediately stopped. Sooner than later, the law of the land will take its course and punish the perpetrators,” wrote N Biren Singh on social media.
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Meanwhile, a Kuki-Zo villages Langza (Hmar) and Chinglangmei (Kom) in Sagang areas of Churachandpur District, around 70 Km South-East of Imphal were allegedly attacked by Meitei militant groups on Sunday morning. Reliable sources said the casualties in Langza village could be many more.
David Thiek, a Kuki-Zomi village volunteer was killed and beheaded in the ensuing gunfight while abducted another 5 and set on fire 29 houses including 3 churches by Meitei militants in the early morning of Sunday at around 4 am, according to Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum.
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According to Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) the act of violence was perpetrated by a group of individuals, clad in black t-shirts, allegedly identified as members of the Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun, accompanied by a convoy of around 20 trucks suspected to contain members of Meira Paibis, which further intensified the assault on the village in a news report in The Hills Journal.
“The assailants cruelly severed David’s neck and displayed his head on a fence, before callously discarding his body into one of the engulfed houses,” The Hills Journal quoted ITLF as stating.
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