13 killed in ambush at Tengnoupal village

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 4: At least 13 people have been killed in a dastardly ambush laid by suspected Kuki militants near Leithao village, Tengnoupal district under Machi police station.
The ambush took place in a wooded area about 35 Kms from Machi police station between 8 am and 9 am today, sources informed.
At least 13 people were killed in the ambush.
However, it could not be confirmed whether the deceased were civilians or cadres of any militant group.
There was no report of recovery of any weapon from the ambush site.
On learning about the ambush, a combined team of Manipur Police and Assam Rifles led by the Tengnoupal SP rushed to the site.
A team of Machi police station was also moving to the ambush site to retrieve the dead bodies.
The massacre took place in the midst of the violent conflict which erupted on May 3, 2023.
The conflict has so far claimed 180 lives and injured a large number of people.
Moreover, tens of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes.
The Indian Express reports : According to sources in the security establishment, Leithu in Tengnoupal district, where the bodies were found, “is an area where there has been no past record of conflict during the current ethnic violence. It is located around 10 km Northwest from Saibol, where there was recently an attempt to target an Assam Rifles patrol through an IED attack”.
“When security personnel reached the location this afternoon (following inputs of a firefight), they recovered 13 bodies,” said security sources, adding that “their identities are not yet known and verified”.
According to security sources, there were no weapons found near the bodies. “Senior police officials have been informed of this development,” said sources.
The State has been embroiled in ethnic violence between Meitets and Kuki-Zomis since the beginning of May. More than 150 people have died and thousands have been displaced in the conflict so far.
Scroll.in reports  that the bodies were found in Leithu village, which is dominated by the Kuki-Zomi community. Security forces reached the spot after they heard gunshots around 10.30 am, an unidentified Army official told Scroll.
However, they did not find any weapons with the bodies.
While Manipur has been witnessing an ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis since May 3, no incident of violence has been reported from the Leithu village. The violence in the North Eastern State has left over 200 persons dead and displaced nearly 60,000 people.
On Sunday, the State Government lifted the ban on mobile internet from most parts of the State till December 18.
Mobile internet services will, however, remain suspended within a 2-kilometre periphery of the district boundaries of Chandel and Kakching, Churachandpur and Bishnupur, Chura-chandpur and Kakching, Kangpokpi and Imphal West, Kangpokpi and Imphal East, Kangpokpi and Thoubal and Tengnoupal and Kakching.