Imphal: Firing and arson incidents continue to be reported in violence-hit Manipur.
Suspected Kuki militants from their bunkers set up at Leimakhong Chingmang on Sunday night reportedly open fired towards Kanto Sabal, a Meitei foothill village in Imphal West District, which is guarded by Manipur security forces. The incident occurred at around 11:30 pm and lasted till around 3 am.
A personnel of the Indian Army was also injured in the exchange of fire with the suspected militants. The jawan of the Jat Regiment sustained bullet injuries on his leg.
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The armed miscreants also burned down 5 houses, including 4 houses belonging to Meitei people and one house belonging to Liangmai Naga community in Leimakhong Chingmang. The locality has a mixed population of Kukis, Meiteis and Nagas and is located a few hundred metres from the Leimakhong military garrison.
Meanwhile, Liangmai Naga Council, Eastern Zone condemned the burning down of a house belonging to Liangmai Naga Community by suspected Kuki militants at Leimakhong Chingmang in Imphal West District. The owner of the house is one Akhon Liangmai.
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Addressing media at Manipur Press Club on Monday afternoon, Chairman of Liangmai Naga Council, Eastern Zone, Loveson Chawang said the Liangmai Naga community takes the arson incident in a serious manner and will not remain silent. He said such incidents will escalate more tension among communities and hence appealed to avoid the same. Loveson also appealed to the central and state governments to resolve the ongoing crisis and restore normalcy.
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While, Akhon Liangmai, said burning down a Naga house was an attempt to drag the Naga community into the prevailing clash. She expressed discontentment that her house was deliberately burned down despite knowing that it belonged to the Liangmai community, as her house had a signboard which stated that it belonged to the Liangmai community. She also alleged that the army posted in Leimakhong failed to take any action when the incident took place.
Earlier in the day, Spear Corps of the Indian Army tweeted “Armed miscreants resorted to unprovoked firing from Kanto Sabal towards Chingmang village during night of 18/19 June. Army Columns resorted to controlled retaliatory fire keeping in view presence of villagers in the area. One Army Soldier sustained Gun Shot Wound, evacuated to Military Hospital Leimakhong and is stable”.
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