Kuki offensive continues, Meitei villages attacked

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 12: Kuki militants continued their offensive by attacking Meitei villages in the peripheral areas of Imphal East district for the fourth consecutive days with bombs and bullets.
Apparently enraged by the loss of their 10 armed men, Kuki militants attacked CRPF jawans stationed in between Mongbung and Jairel village tonight.
As the Kuki militants resorted to heavy firing, CRPF jawans and other security forces retaliated.
It is suspected that the Kuki militants attacked the CRPF jawans to avenge their 10 men killed by CRPF jawans on Monday.
Even as additional forces have rushed to the spot, intermittent firing was going on till the time of filing this report.  
According to sources, Kuki militants armed with sophisticated weapons started attacking the Meitei villages at Thamnapokpi, Sanasabi, Shanti Khongbal and Sabungkhok Khunou from the nearby hills of Yaingangpokpi Uyok Ching and Natumching from yesterday night  using bomb and bullets, and the gunfight lasted till around 2 am today.  
Kuki militants again attacked Sanasabi and Thamnapokpi Meitei villages early this morning. Security personnel who were deployed in the area retaliated by firing toward the Kuki militants who were trying to advance toward the Meitei villages.
The exchange of firing went on till around 10 am.
There is no report of any injury on the side of security personnel during the Kuki militants’ attack.
Considering the possibility of further attacks at night, security personnel have been kept on high alert and they have been monitoring the movement of Kuki militants.
Meanwhile, the Meitei villagers of the area have been shifted to a safe area, said the sources.    
On the other hand, Kuki militants fired long range pompi bombs at Phumlou Maning Leikai on November 11 night. At around 9.30 pm, Kuki militants fired around four long range pompi bombs from the hill range on the western side of the Koutruk Meitei village.
One of the bombs fell in the cow shed of one Konsam Meipak of Phumlou Maning Leikai but there was no report of any casualty, sources. It is suspected that the pompi bombs were fired from a distance 4.5 Kms away.
The Kuki militants fired four pompi bombs one after another and three of them fell in paddy fields.
Following the long range  bomb attacks, villagers of Phumlou fled to safer places and they came back this afternoon, said the sources.  
Meanwhile, Kuki militants attacked Kangchup and set ablaze a number of houses at Kangchup, Imphal West on November 11 night. The Kuki militants also painted the wall of a partially burnt house with the word “Kuki Land”.
Coming down from the nearby hills from different directions, Kuki militants came past even CRPF checkpost and launched a fierce attack at the village volunteers guarding Meitei villages at Kangchup Chingkhong.
Taken by surprise by the sudden attack, the village volunteers retreated to safer places.
Taking advantage of the absence of village volunteers, the Kuki militants set ablaze the abandoned Meitei houses.
Apart from the houses, four four-wheelers including a Gypsy were also set ablaze by the Kuki militants.
Four bombs fired by Kuki militants at Kangchup and Phayeng last night but failed to go off were discovered by a Forensic Science team and bomb experts today.