Imphal: Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki community, on Sunday condemned an alleged attack on Thingkhongjang village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, claiming armed cadres of the NSCN (IM) and the ZUF-Kamson faction set houses on fire and injured two civilians.
In a statement, KIM alleged that several civilian houses in the village under K. Geljang Sub-Division were torched during the attack on Saturday evening. It claimed that an unidentified woman and a child sustained serious injuries in the firing.
The organisation alleged that the attack took place despite the presence of personnel from the 86th Battalion, F Company, in the vicinity, and questioned the effectiveness of the security deployment in the area.
Calling it a “major security failure”, KIM sought accountability from officials responsible for maintaining law and order and demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the incident.
The organisation also referred to assurances allegedly given by the Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Kangpokpi district regarding the protection of villages in the district. It further claimed that, under an understanding with the Manipur government, the responsibility for securing Kuki-Zo villages rested with the district police, eliminating the need for local volunteers to guard villages.
KIM urged the Government of India and the Manipur government to ensure the safety of civilians and take legal action against those responsible for the attack as well as any lapses in security.
The allegations made by KIM could not be independently verified by Northeast Now. There was no immediate response from the authorities or the groups named in the statement.