Pipe bomb fired by Kuki militants recovered, detonated Firing unabated at Khoijumantabi

BISHNUPUR, Jul 12: Even as intermittent exchange of fire between Kuki militants and State forces continued in Khoijumantabi and Chairel Mangjing in Bishnupur district, an unexploded 'pipe bomb' fired by Kuki militants was detonated at Phougakchao Ikhai today.
The firing intensified late into the evening today and unconfirmed report reaching here said that about four from across Khoijumantabi have been gunned down.
The unexploded bomb that was fired by the Kuki militants at Phougakchao Ikhai Awang Leikai during gunbattles on July 7 and 8 was recovered by the Bishnupur police.
During the gunfight, Kuki militants had killed  two Meitei village volunteers.
Phougakchao Ikhai Awang Leikai falls under  Phougakchao Ikhai police station in Kumbi Assembly Constituency.
Meanwhile, the dud bomb suspected to be countrymade was detonated by the Bishnupur police at a safe place at around 6.45 am.
The bomb was about 1 foot in length and it was believed to be fired from a country made launcher made out of GI pipe that usually has a diameter of 2 inches.
Police had reportedly recovered such launchers earlier from Kuki militants.
On the other hand, Kuki militants continued to launch attacks at Khoijumantabi and Chairel Mangjing today.
Intermittent gunfights are on at Khoijumantabi in Bishnupur since July 1, said reports.
It may be noted that Khoijumantabi is one of the most sensitive places amid the present crisis where Kuki militants had killed three Meitei village volunteers on the intervening night of July 1 and 2.
Since then, several civilians have been injured in attacks carried out by the Kuki militants in the area.
At Phougakchao Ikhai, another sensitive place, farmers have raised concern as they are unable to carry out agricultural activities in the area.
Hectares of paddy fields are lying idle as the areas are within the range of Kuki militants' guns, they said.
Vegetables that were sown and grown before paddy season have perished and they are unable to sow paddy now. Next year, people may face acute shortage of rice, they said.
They urged the Government to immediately drive away Kuki militants from the area effectively and allow them to tend to their fields. Notably, the Government had a few days ago created a State Level Monitoring Committee and District Level Monitoring Committee to oversee  agricultural activities in the fringe areas of the valley. The Government had also allocated State security forces to deploy in all sensitive areas for security and safety of the farmers.