Three more villages burn down after Khopibung in Khamenlok area; COTU condemns, Khopibung chief refutes media report

After H. Khopibung Kuki village was attacked and burnt down yesterday, Khamenlok Kuki village, next to H. Khopibung village, and two other villages were reportedly attacked this afternoon at around 5:10 pm.

Khamenlok Kuki village comprised around 25 households and it is just next to H. Khopibung, the frontline village of the area.

After a few hours of firing, Khamenlok, Aigejang, and Chullouphai villages belonging to the Kuki community have already been burnt down by the alleged Meitei militants.

Kuki villages in the Khamenlok area are H. Khopibung, Khamenlok, Chullouphai, K. Phaimol, Aigejang, Thombol, Jordenphai, Songjang, and Govajang villages, and out of these villages H. Khopibung, Khamenlok, Aigejang, and Chullouphai villages were already burnt down.

Meanwhile, the chief of H. Khopibung village, Thangminlal Chongloi (40), son of (L) Paosei Chongloi vehemently condemned and refuted the alleged false and misleading report published by various valley-based media houses today in connection with the attack and torching of his village without ascertaining the fact.

He said, that fact is that on Monday early morning at around 5:00 am, the village volunteers saw the Meitei militants moving up at the hilltops from Uyumpok and at around 8:00 am they started attacking the village which resulted in a fierce day-long gun battle with the village volunteers.

He continued that the Meitei militants also had a gunfight with the Gorkha Regiment.

H. Khopibung village chief also said that the Meitei militants who donned in commando uniforms used sophisticated weapons and even bombs in attacking the villagers and the volunteers to defend with their licensed guns.

After an exhaustive day-long gun battle with the Meitei militants, the village volunteers were outnumbered, and huge Meitei mobs numbering around 2000 entered my village and completely torched all the houses and properties, he added.

He further said that now my villagers are scattered everyone in the Saikul area out of fear and I put all effort into gathering them.

He also said that four volunteers sustained a bullet injury during the gunfight with the Meitei militants and identified them as Lunginthang Khongthang (26), son of Tholet Khongthang of Dongsum village; Sesem Kipgen (27), son of Hemang Kipgen of Keithelmanbi village; Haoboi Karoung (22), son of Seilenthang Karoung, and Seiminlal Khongsai (29), son of Lamseh Khongsai, both from Khamenlok village.

The injured persons are shifted to Saikul PHC and they are reportedly out of danger.

Strongly refuting the alleged false and misleading report of the incident by various Imphal-based media houses, H. Khopibung village chief, Thangminlal Chongloi wondered as to how the media houses could boldly publish such misleading reports without verifying the authenticity.

He also condemned the media report of Imphal-based media houses in the strongest term while urging them not to indulge in such mischievous conduct being the fourth pillar of the nation.

He also alleged that it has always been the nature of the valley-based media houses that whenever and wherever the Kuki villages are attacked by the Meitei militants, it always appears in the TV channel and the Newspapers the next day that as if the Kuki militants attack the Meitei.

"It is very unethical of the media fraternity in the state that they turned the attackers into victims, and the victims into the attackers", he added.

He also said that when we are attacked, injured, and our houses and villages are burnt, we are always blamed to be the attackers, and our innocent volunteers are always branded as militants, which is unacceptable.

Meanwhile, Committee on Tribals Unity Sadar Hills condemned the constant attack on Kuki villages in Saikul Sub Division of Kangpokpi District since yesterday in the strongest term.

COTU Spokesperson, Rev. K. Sitlhou said that despite the Union Home Minister, MoS (Home), and various central agencies' efforts to bring peace and normalcy to the state, the Kuki villages are constantly attacked and torched.

He then draws an immediate intervention of the Central Government by taking firm action to uproot any kind of violence, attack, killing, and torching of villages.