UKHRUL: Mongkot Chepu village, located under Litan Police Station in Ukhrul District, Manipur, has reported a ‘coordinated armed attack by Tangkhul militants’ today.
In a press statement, the village authority stated that around 7:30 AM, the village was subjected to another armed assault, resulting in the injury of an innocent civilian.
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“This violence is a direct result of prolonged inaction. For over a month and a half, we issued repeated warnings to the authorities about the militant bunkers surrounding the village and the dangers they posed. However, these warnings were ignored. Today, those very bunkers were used to launch an attack on civilians, placing women and school children in immediate danger,” the authority said.
Additionally, the village authority claimed to have video evidence showing militants operating near the Litan Police Station, which raises serious concerns.
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The village authority also expressed dissatisfaction with the reported response from security forces. It noted that while security personnel were directed to evacuate injured militants from the bunkers, no assistance was provided to the innocent civilian who was harmed in the attack. “This discrepancy is deeply concerning and unacceptable,” it added.
Furthermore, the Mongkot Chepu village expressed that the continued inaction and failure to protect civilians have led to preventable harm. They urged the authorities to take immediate action, including dismantling the bunkers, ensuring the village’s security, and initiating a transparent investigation.
“Any further escalation or loss of life will rest solely on those who failed to act despite clear warnings. The situation has reached a critical point; silence and delay are no longer acceptable,” the authority warned.
Notably, in a related incident, two civilians from the Tangkhul Naga community in Sharkaphung village were reportedly shot today by alleged Kuki militants. Following this attack, several organizations, including the apex Tangkhul Naga Long and the Tangkhul Naga Foothills Organisation, condemned the incident.
The organisations have described it as an attack by ‘Kuki militants under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement’ targeting innocent Naga villagers. Also, they have called on the state government to intervene in the ‘ongoing acts of violence by Kuki militants under the SoO agreement,’ while reporting attacks at three locations since Monday night, including the Chassad-Kamjong axis, Shangkai, and Mongkot Chepu.