Meitei Militants' Assault Claims Two Lives in Manipur's Kangpokpi Region, CoTU Calls for 24-Hour Shutdown

In a shocking prelude to India's impending largest festival of democracy, a group of Meitei militants, Arambai Tenggol, allegedly aided by the Meitei Commandos, unleashed a coordinated assault in the Phailengmol region of Kangpokpi District, claiming the lives of two Kuki volunteers.

The ruthless act of violence has sent shock waves across the nation, especially the Kuki community, prompting widespread condemnation.

In the aftermath of the heinous act, concerns about escalating tensions in the region loom large, casting a shadow over the upcoming electoral process.

In a chilling act of barbarity, armed Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol group ruthlessly desecrated the bodies of fallen Kuki volunteers, mercilessly firing upon them multiple times even after death, utterly devoid of any shred of humanity or reverence for the dead.

The outbreak of fresh violence, fueled by the aggression of armed Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol has now spread to Kangpokpi District after their brutal assault on the Peljang Haikot Kuki villages in Tengnoupal District.

Amidst the lingering tension in Peljang-Haikot after Friday's heinous attack, armed Meitei militants and Arambai Tenggol struck again. This time, their target was the Kuki people in Kamu Saichang, Bongjang, and Monglham villages of the Phailengmol region in Kangpokpi District.

According to the Phailengmol Defense Committee, the tranquillity of Kamu Saichang, Bongjang and Monglham villages shattered at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning as they were besieged from multiple fronts in a meticulously coordinated onslaught by the Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol.

The Committee also said that the Meitei militants, and the Arambai Tenggol backed by Meitei Commandos in cutting-edge bulletproof vehicles, recently acquired by the Government of Manipur launched a devastating assault on the Kuki at Bongjang old village, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire.

Another group of the Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol along with the state Meitei commandos attack Monglham near Karong sparking intense gunfights across multiple fronts.

Brandishing sophisticated weapons including sniper, Meitei militants and Arambai Tenggol were sighted maneuvering through the hills, evidently gearing up for another impactful assault.

The two Kuki volunteers were brutally killed in the second attack of the Meitei militants, and Arambai Tenggol, aided by the Meitei Commandos.

The Meitei militants and Arambai Tenggol were also witnessed atop the hill, jubilantly cheering and fervently chanting slogans such as "Arambai Tenggol na Yaiphare" and "Meitei na Yaiphare" after the attack.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi called for an emergency meeting following the Phailengmol region's incident.

It is widely acknowledged that all the gun battles in the ongoing Manipur violence occurred within the Kuki-Zo-dominated hills, indicating that the attacks were carried out by the armed Arambai Tenggol, and the Meitei militants.

However, since the eruption of Manipur Mayhem, which delineated the separation between the Kuki and the Meitei, the Meitei-owned media houses based in Imphal, and some other hills based Media have reported otherwise, portraying the Kuki-Zo as attacking the Meitei.

Following the brutal killing of two Kuki volunteers and the shooting of a labourer belonging to the Kuki-Zo community at Gamgiphai by armed Meitei Militant, the Committee on Tribal Unity, or the CoTU, Sadar Hills imposed a 24-hour total shutdown in the entire Sadar Hills Kangpokpi District from midnight of April 13 till midnight of April 14.

The Committee also expressed dismay over the alleged state Election Commission's indifferent attitude towards the rampant movement of secessionist Meitei Militant in the valley districts stating that it is a disservice to the democratic set-up of the country.

While condemning the alleged state-sponsored clandestine attack at Phailengmol region this morning by secessionist armed Meitei Militants in which two Kuki volunteers sacrificed their lives to defend the area, CoTU also condemned the shooting of a labourer belonging to the Kuki community at Kuki dominated Gamgiphai on April 12 by armed Meitei.

The Kuki-Zo top tribal body stated that illegal quarry and pilferage of villages at L. Songphel, Saichang, Bongjang, Kamu Saichang, and Bongbal Khullen is the precursor towards the incident at Phailengmol region.

"The insatiable appetite to wage war and aggression by the majoritarian Meitei community against the minority Kuki community is a clear indication to exert political dominance over the minority", stated CoTU.

The Committee while endorsing the electoral due process of the upcoming Parliamentary Election, conveyed its appalled at the state Election Commission's indifferent attitude towards the rampant movement of secessionist Meitei Militants in the valley districts as it is a disservice to the democratic set-up of a country.

The Committee then stated that a 24-hour Total Shutdown would be imposed in the entire Sadar Hills Kangpokpi District with effect from midnight of April 13 till midnight of April 14 as a mark of protest against the inhuman and barbaric act of the secessionist Meitei militants and their wilful disregard of the Model Code of Conduct of the Election Commission of India.