New flare-up in Manipur: 3 shot dead in Kuki village

Residents of Khoken village, inhabited by Kukis, alleged that armed men came around 4 am and opened fire in the village, staying there for around two hours.

While police confirmed that three persons were killed and two injured, they did not share details regarding the incident.

Khoken is situated on Kangpokpi district’s border with Imphal West. The village is just a kilometre away from Sangaithel, which falls under Imphal West district.

Residents of Khoken identified the three killed as 65-year-old Domkhohoi, 52-year-old Khaijamang Guite and 40-year-old Jangpao Touthang.

Thongkhup Doungel, a resident of the village and Domkhohoi’s younger brother, said around 40 people had entered the village in the early hours.

“They were dressed in a mix of black T-shirts worn by members of Arambai Tenggol, and police and IRB uniform, and they began firing indiscriminately. The firing went on for around two hours. We vacated the village and went to the nearest CRPF camp and informed them. The attackers left only after CRPF and the Gorkha Regiment came to the village. They left in five Gypsy which we could see were police vehicles,” he claimed.

He said Domkhohoi was killed in the village church where she had gone to pray. “Both men were ordinary farmers, while my sister was a widow,” he said.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) alleged that the attack was perpetrated by valley-based insurgents disguised in Army uniforms. The forum said those who were killed were civilians.

“The Kuki-Zo villagers, not suspecting the attackers’ true identity and assuming it was a combing operation, gave way but were met with automatic rifle fire, resulting in the tragic deaths of villagers,” the tribal body said.

In response to the incident, the Committee on Tribals Unity Sadar Hills, which had earlier decided to lift the blockade on NH-2 to allow the movement of essential goods, decided to reimpose closure of the National Highway.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation has re-registered six FIRs and set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under a DIG-rank officer to probe cases related to ethnic violence in Manipur between Meiteis and Kukis that has claimed nearly 100 lives. The SIT comprises 10 officers.