IMPHAL/UKHRUL: Unknown armed miscreants allegedly opened fire at Thingkhongjang village in Kangpokpi district at around 5:10 pm on Sunday, injuring two villagers and setting a house on fire.
According to reports, the armed attackers fired upon the village, triggering panic among the residents. During the incident, one house was also burnt down.
The two injured persons were identified as Nengneichong Kipgen (56), wife of Hejang Kipgen, who sustained a bullet injury on her left thigh, and Lamneingah Kipgen (8), daughter of Lamkholen Kipgen, who also suffered a bullet injury on her left thigh.
Both the injured persons were initially evacuated to 9 Sector Assam Rifles Hospital for medical treatment and later shifted to RIMS Hospital, Imphal, under heavy security arrangements for further treatment.
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The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) reacting to Sunday’s attack on Thingkhongjang village in Kangpokpi district, condemend the incident alleging that armed cadres of “NSCN-Muivah and its alleged proxy faction, ZUF-Kamson,” targeted the village on Sunday evening.
The apex Kuki body in a statement claimed that several civilian houses were set ablaze during the attack, while an elderly woman and a young child were injured in indiscriminate firing. It described the incident as a deliberate attack on civilians and called it an act of terror.
KIM also questioned the role of the security forces, saying the attack took place despite the presence of the 86th Battalion, F Company, stationed nearby. It termed the incident a serious security lapse and asked how armed militants were able to enter the area, attack civilians, and leave without being stopped.
KIM said the Superintendent of Police and the Deputy Commissioner of Kangpokpi had on several occasions assured villagers that their security would be the responsibility of the district administration and police. It also referred to an understanding with the Manipur government under which Kuki-Zo volunteers were not expected to guard their villages, saying those assurances now stood “shattered.”
Demanding accountability, KIM called for an independent judicial inquiry into the incident. It said the probe should establish the facts, identify those responsible for any operational failures, and recommend legal and disciplinary action against officials found negligent.
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KIM also urged both the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to take immediate steps to restore public confidence, arguing that repeated security failures only embolden those responsible for attacks on civilians. It further warned that people would no longer accept what it called empty assurances or delayed responses while innocent families continue to suffer, and said those entrusted with protecting lives and property must be held accountable.
There was no immediate response from the Manipur government, the security forces, or the organisations named in the KIM statement. Ukhrul Times could not independently verify the allegations at the time of filing this report.
