Imphal/Churachandpur, Sep 15 (PTI) In fresh violence, suspected militants on Tuesday gunned down two women and burnt a few farmhouses outside a village in Manipur’s Tamenglong district, officials said.
The killing came two days after four people, including two women, were shot dead in Tamenglong and Noney districts.
Armed militants shot dead the two Kuki community women when they had gone out to an isolated field in the interior village of Leisangphai to collect firewood, officials quoting locals said.
The deceased were identified as 60-year-old Chonga Sitlhou and Kimboi Singson (30), officials said, adding that locals claimed several villagers could not be traced.
Their bodies were found lying in the field with gunshot injuries and have been recovered by villagers.
The armed miscreants also set on fire a few kutcha farmhouses.
On September 13, a woman and her husband were killed, and their infant son was injured in their residence when suspected militants attacked Tollen Kuki village in Tamenglong district. A woman and a man were shot dead by armed militants at Longpi village in Noney district on the same day.
A major Kuki organisation based in Churachandpur district condemned the killing of six villagers belonging to the community and said the mortal remains of the two women who died on Tuesday would not be claimed until justice is served.
In a statement, the Kuki Inpi Manipur also questioned the authorities’ silence on repeated attacks on community members.
“The Kuki Inpi Manipur has decided that, however difficult and painful it may be for the bereaved families, the mortal remains of the two deceased women shall not be claimed until justice is attained,” the organisation said.
It said, “Where are the central and state governments? How much longer will the authorities remain silent in the face of repeated attacks on innocent Kuki-Zo civilians?” The continued targeting of innocent civilians and the apparent failure of the authorities to protect them are pushing the situation towards an extremely dangerous point, the KIM claimed.
The ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023 between the valley-based Meitei and the hill-based Kuki communities has claimed at least 306 lives, with 49 individuals remaining missing and thousands left homeless. PTI COR NN
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