In another deadly act of violence, unidentified gunmen killed four people, including a top militant leader of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and a woman, near Mongjang village in Manipur’s strife-hit Churachandpur district on Monday afternoon.
The ambush, which took place around 2 PM on June 30, has shaken the already fragile region and stoked fears of escalating tensions between armed groups in the hills of Manipur.
According to police sources, the victims were travelling in a car when they were suddenly ambushed near Mongjang, a remote village about 7 km from Churachandpur town. They were shot at point-blank range, leaving no chance for survival.
Among the deceased is believed to be Pu Thangboi Haokip, also known by his alias Thahpi, who allegedly served as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Kuki National Organisation/Kuki National Army (KNO/KNA)—one of the major armed insurgent groups in the region.
The identity of the woman killed in the ambush has not been officially confirmed yet, but locals referred to her as Lou kon Nupi, believed to be in her 60s. Her role or association with the others in the vehicle remains under investigation.
Two other victims were not yet identified. Additional security forces have been deployed in the area and search operations are on to nab the militants involved in the deadly attack.
“Initial findings suggest that this was a targeted killing. The victims were not caught in crossfire but deliberately fired upon from close range,” said a senior police official from Churachandpur on condition of anonymity.
Locals from Mongjang village told reporters that they heard multiple gunshots echoing through the hills in the early afternoon. “We ran to our homes and locked the doors. Later, we saw police and ambulances rushing to the area,” said one resident.
The motive behind the killings are not clear yet. But sources said that internal rivalry amongst the Kuki militant groups may be a reason behind the attack.
