Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A 23-year-old Naga villager sustained a bullet injury while two others suffered minor injuries after unidentified armed men allegedly ambushed them in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Saturday, triggering fresh tensions in the conflict-prone foothill region.
According to police, the incident occurred around 10:45 a.m. near the Tagiuky River, about two kilometres from Konsakhul (Konsaram) village, when three villagers had gone to repair a water pipeline supplying the Naga-majority settlement.
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The injured man was identified as Kachiaklungbou Chawang (23), who suffered a bullet wound to his right elbow. The other two villagers, Manonlungbou Abonmai (19) and Poungamlakbou Malangmai (55), escaped with minor injuries.
Police said armed men in combat uniforms, who had allegedly taken positions in the area, opened fire on the villagers. Security forces rushed to the spot and evacuated the injured to a nearby hospital before he was referred to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal for further treatment.
Additional security personnel have been deployed in the area, and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible, officials said.
Konsakhul village chairman D Adam Liangmai alleged that the attackers were cadres of the Kuki National Front (Presidential) [KNF(P)], a Kuki armed group that is a signatory to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the government.
Addressing media at RIMS, Liangmai claimed the militants had intentionally damaged the village water pipeline and laid an ambush for civilians attempting to restore the supply.
“We are civilians. The government must take strict action against armed cadres targeting innocent villagers,” he said.
The KNF(P) had not issued any statement on the allegations at the time of filing this report.
The Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) strongly condemned the incident, alleging that similar attacks had taken place in recent months without effective action against those involved.
A statement issued by the Konsakhul village authority described the attack as “barbaric and inhumane” and alleged involvement of KNF(P) militants along with individuals from nearby Leilon Vaiphei village.
The village authority also referred to an earlier abduction case involving Naga civilians, claiming that six villagers who were taken hostage in May remain untraceable.
The authority urged the government to ensure the safety of residents, restore essential services, and conduct a thorough investigation into the latest attack.
Naga People’s Front (NPF) MLA Awangbou Newmai condemned the attack, describing it as an act of violence against unarmed civilians.
“Such acts only deepen fear, suffering and division among communities,” Newmai said, urging all sides to reject violence and pursue dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions between Naga and Kuki communities following twin ambushes reported on May 13 in Kangpokpi and Noney districts, in which four civilians, including three church leaders and a Naga man, were killed.
Subsequent retaliatory tensions led to the abduction of 48 civilians from both communities. While several hostages were later released, civil society groups claim that 14 Kukis and six Nagas remain missing.
Authorities have arrested four suspects in connection with the earlier violence. Police have also stated that a separate ambush along National Highway-202, in which a truck driver from West Bengal was killed, was carried out by armed Kuki militants.
Security agencies continue to monitor the situation closely amid concerns over renewed ethnic tensions in the region.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
