The ruinous behaviour of Manipur state police commandos who are stationed at Moreh caused tension in the border town on Saturday.
Initial reports have stated that the ruinous behaviour of the state commando led to a heavy gun battle between village volunteers and state police commandos at around 3.30 pm in which one commando personnel was reportedly injured in the firing.
The injured personnel is reported to be from the Special Commando Unit of the Manipur Home Department who sustained bullet injury in a heavy exchange of fire near the key point of an Assam Rifles on the National Highway -102 Imphal to Moreh on Saturday.
As per locals, the state police commandos had been harsh against the innocent Kuki-Zo civilians including women and children. They slaughtered pigs, tortured civilians and opened blank fire on women and children who were playing in an open space. The locals believed that they could be goons of Arambai Tenggol masquerading as Manipur police commandos.
Meanwhile, Kuki Chief's Association Moreh, Hill Tribal Council, Kuki Students’ Organisation Moreh, Kuki Women Union for Human Rights and Moreh Youth Club vehemently condemned the torching of houses by police commandos and its militia group in Lhangnom Veng, Moreh following the gunfight between police commandos and unidentified gunmen.
The Joint Press statement stated that gunfight broke out between police commandos and unknown gunmen around 3:20pm following which the police commandos and its militias intruded Lhangnom Veng and burnt down three houses in the said locality.
In an apparent attempt to attack the Kuki-Zo people in Moreh and its surroundings, the police commandos along with its militia - Arambai Tenggol (dressed as police commandos) were seen moving together from Moreh bazar. Following which, they engaged in a gunfight with unknown gunmen around 3:20pm.
While the panic stricken general public were taking shelter for their safety, the police commandos and Arambai Tenggols took advantage and burnt down three houses in Lhangnom Veng, Moreh ward No.9, it alleged.
The Civil Society Organisations would like to question why the so-called state police commandos burnt down houses which are not related to the gunfight incident. Can the burning down of innocent civilian houses be the work of government security forces, asked Moreh Kuki CSOs.
It clearly shows the communal motives and evil intention of the so-called police commandos against the Kuki-Zo community. This dastardly act shows the presence of communal elements among the police commandos in Moreh town.
The joint CSOs vehemently condemned the arson and indiscriminate random firing towards Kuki-Zo localities and urge the authority concern to immediately withdraw communal commandos from Moreh town.
The people of Moreh and surrounding villages would be compelled to take their own course of action against the communal forces (police commandos) if they continue to harass innocent civilians, it warned.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
