GUWAHATI: A Naga village guard, reported missing after a firing incident in Manipur’s Noney district on Monday morning, was found dead later in the day.
The Naga Village Guard, Eastern Command (NVG-EC) alleged that Chunjanglung Panmei (57) was killed by Kuki militants.
“In the early hours of Monday, the Kuki militants, armed with sophisticated weapons, laid an ambush against the Rongmei Naga villagers who were collecting firewood between Pongringlong and Charoi Pondaijang,” NVG-EC said.
It added that while the others managed to escape from the spot, Panmei was reported missing and later, his bullet-riddled body was found in the jungle near the site of attack.
“He was reportedly captured and shot dead,” NVG-EC said.
The Working Committee of Joint Tribes Council Manipur (JTCM) in a statement said several rounds of shots were fired in the attack.
“...Such wilful indulgence without an iota of concern for the safety of the public and provoking an internal communal tension is unequivocally condemned,” the organisation said.
It alleged that “illegal Kuki aggressors” had carried out two similar attacks in and around Pongringlong area, on May 22 and June 5.
“Both attacks involved indiscriminate and continuous firing, directly targeting unarmed civilians…The indigenous Nagas have so far maintained maximum restraint despite repeated provocation by Kuki aggressors with its militant group KNF (P) in our region,” JTCM said.
It added that the public appealed to the government to immediately remove all the camps of Kuki “Suspension of Operations” groups from the land of the Nagas, as they were allegedly operating in the area with sophisticated weapons and threatening Naga villagers.
Meanwhile, Naga organisation Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) announced a 24-hour “total shutdown” within its jurisdiction from 7 pm of Monday.
“The shutdown demands immediate removal of the illegal Assam Rifles outpost at New Heaven along National Highway-202 and for taking befitting criminal action against army personnel for their use of excessive force and brutal assault on the peaceful women protesters at New Heaven, Shokvao and Finch Corner (on Sunday),” TNL said in a statement.