Arms of Kuki outfits looted from designated camp

IMPHAL, Apr 9 : Less than a week after the Government branded the leader of Kuki Independent Army (KIA) Thangkhongam Haokip alias Davidson (40) wanted, a suspected 15 member squad of the outfit looted at least 25 sophisticated guns and ammunition from the designated camp of three Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the Government.
On April 4 the State police had announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on providing information regarding the whereabouts of Thangkhongam Haokip alias Davidson (40) s/o Letkhosei Haokip of Matijang Khopi, Churachandpur.
According to police, the suspected cadres of KIA looted the armoury of  Horeb Camp set up at Chongkhozou Village under Henglep Sub Division, Churachandpur last night at around 7.30.
The armed squad reportedly led by the commander in chief of KIA Davidson Haokip overpowered the cadres stationed at the designated camp before looting the guns and ammunition.
Around 25 Kuki militants belonging to three different outfits viz United Tribal Liberation Army (UTLA), Kuki National Front-Zogam (KNF-Z) and United Socialist Revolutionary Army (USRA) are staying at Horeb Camp.
According to the sentry of the camp, the raid was carried out by 15 armed persons in combat fatigues at around 7.30 pm yesterday.
Saying that they captured him first before taking control of three other barracks, the sentry said that all the cadres at the camp were held captives thereafter.
Reportedly, one of the captives managed to cut the rope which tied him from behind after the raid team left and rushed to  Chongkhozou Village, following which Churachandpur police assisted by 36 Assam Rifles rushed to the camp.
As per the report, the raid team seized one SLR, 7.62 mm pistol, two 0.32 mm pistols, one 9 mm pistol, one 0.65 pistol, one 9 mm country made pistol, one AK-47, two lethode bombs and ammunition from the barrack of UTLA.
The weapons looted from the barrack of KNF-Z were AK-56 (3), 0.303 Rifle (1) and one 7.62 pistol along with a large cache of  ammunition while from the barrack of USRA two carbine magazines, 12 rounds of  SBBL, 126 rounds of 7.62 mm pistol and one telescopic sights.
The Manipur-based KIA is a non-signatory of the tripartite ceasefire pact with the Government.
According to a police official, the KIA guerrillas in large number attacked and overpowered those at Chungkhao designated camp in Churachandpur district bordering Myanmar.
The KIA rebels along with the looted weapons managed to flee from the mountainous area without any bloodshed.
A high alert has been sounded and the police authority has asked all the police stations concerned to remain vigilant to recover the looted weapons and to nab the fleeing rebels.
The mountainous Churachandpur district in southern Manipur, which borders Myanmar and Mizoram, is home to various Kuki-Chin militant groups.
The looting of weapons from the designated militant camp took place three days after the Manipur police announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for any person, who provides information leading to the arrest of KIA chief Thangkhongam Haokip aka Davidson aka Pareng Kom (40).
The militants of three outfits have been staying in the designated camp after the Centre and Manipur Government had signed the tripartite agreement and SoO with these outfits on August 22, 2008.
The Manipur Government last month withdrew from the tripartite talks and SoO signed with three Kuki militant outfits in the North Eastern State even though the Union Home Ministry is yet to give its approval to the State Government's decision.
It was also reported that the cadres of KNA, ZRA and KRA are instigating poppy cultivators in the State, while the State Government has been taking action against illegal poppy cultivators, and destroying poppy fields in the forest lands, especially in the reserve and protected forests.
However, an umbrella organisation of the Kuki outfits has dismissed the accusations.