Manipur: Suspected Kuki militants open fire at Meitei temple
Manipur: Suspected Kuki militants open fire at Meitei temple, four held
A police official said that the suspected Kuki militants started firing when people belonging to the Meitei community were performing rituals at Kongba Maru temple in Imphal East.
IMPHAL — Amidst
the return of looted and illegal arms to the police, suspected Kuki militants
opened fire at a religious site in Imphal East district from adjoining hills,
officials said.
However, no casualties were reported in the firing, first of
its kind after the promulgation of President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13
and beginning of surrendering of looted and illegally held arms to the police
since February 21 following the appeal of Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
A police official said that the suspected Kuki militants
started firing when people belonging to the Meitei community were performing
rituals at Kongba Maru temple in Imphal East.
He said that more than 10 rounds were fired from adjoining
Wakan Hill Range in Kangpokpi district.
Immediately after the incident, combined security forces
including Central Reserve Police Force troops rushed to the areas and arrested
four persons in connection with the firing. Irate local people from the nearby
villages in protest against the firing blocked vehicular traffic.
The arrested persons were identified as Lungousem Kipgen
(29), Letminlal Kipgen (25), Satminlun Tuboi (24) and Thanggoulun Kilong (27),
all residents of Kangpokpi District.
Earlier, the attackers vandalised the Kongba Maru temple
properties allegedly by the armed groups from the adjoining hill areas of
Kangpokpi district.
Kongba Maru temple is a place where the Kongba river starts,
which is joined by other tributaries in its further course. Kongba Maru is
situated at a distance of about 22 kilometers from Imphal city.
Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla further
extended by one week the time given for the return of looted and illegal
weapons and ammunition to the security forces.
He also warned that after the expiry of the fresh one week
deadline "strict legal action would be taken as per law for possession of
such arms and ammunition."
Senior police officials said that till February 27 over 610
looted and illegally-held weapons, including many sophisticated arms and a huge
cache of ammunition, were returned to security forces since the Governor made
the appeal for the first time on February 20.
More than 250 people have been killed and over 1500 injured
while over 70,000 rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and
Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.
The Centre had imposed President's rule in the state on
February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned on February 9. The
state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended
animation.
