GUWAHATI: Two Tangkhul Naga civilians, including a retired Indian Army soldier, were killed when suspected militants ambushed their vehicles on the Imphal-Ukhrul road in ethnic violence-hit Manipur on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Chinaoshang Shokwungnao (45), who served the Indian Army, and Yaruingam Vashum (42). Both were Ukhrul natives.
The incident occurred at around 2.35 pm near Yaolen Kuki village, about 4 km from Litan toward Ukhrul town. It came a day after Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had visited various villages in the district to try and remove the trust deficit between Kuki and Tangkhul Naga communities.
Noting intermittent violence between both sides in the Litan areas, the state government recently started providing security escorts to civilian vehicles between Mahadev and an area beyond Litan.
According to police, unidentified militants opened fire on a convoy of vehicles travelling from Imphal towards Ukhrul. Officials suspected that the attack was carried out by snipers from a long distance.
The Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long alleged that “Kuki SoO” (Suspension of Operations) rebels were involved in the attack.
"…Ever since the conflict between Tangkhul Nagas and Kukis started in early February, Kuki militants have been openly attacking civilians in Litan, Laho, Sinakeithei, Sikibung and Thawai,” the Tangkhul Naga organisation alleged in a statement.
The statement said women, children and ailing persons were among the passengers of the vehicles which came under the attack after traversing through Mahadev and Litan with security escorts.
"The attack was carried out as soon as the escort team had returned toward Litan. Six vehicles were travelling and were hit by the Kuki militants who targeted the civilians with snipers and other sophisticated long-range rifles,” the statement further said.
Stating that the incident put the power and the integrity of the state government into serious question, the organisation demanded that the government immediately undertake a combing operation at Yaolen and adjoining Kuki villages.
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) denied the involvement of Kuki individuals or groups in the incident. “Based on ground-level understanding, the incident appears to be linked to prevailing tensions among certain factional groups, rather than the handiwork of any Kuki-Zo group. It is deeply regrettable that, without proper verification or credible evidence, blame is hastily attributed to the Kuki-Zo community,” the KZC said in a statement.
There have been a series of attacks in the Litan areas in recent times, which have claimed several lives. Houses were also torched.
Meanwhile, women's groups and civil society organisations in the Imphal Valley announced a five-day statewide shutdown from Sunday over the recent bomb attack in Bishnupur district in which two children, including an infant, were killed and their mother was injured.
The organisations set April 25 as the deadline for authorities to arrest all those who were involved in the attack.
