Bloodshed in Manipur Ahead of Polls After Meitei Militants' Brutual Assault on Kukis, Claiming Two Kukis Volunteers; COTU Calls 24-Hour Total Shutdown

In a shocking prelude to the impending India’s largest festival of democracy, a group of Meitei militants the Arambai Tenggol, allegedly aided by the Meitei Police Commandos, unleashed a coordinated assault in the Phailengmol region of Kangpokpi District, claiming the lives of two Kuki volunteers.

The ruthless act of violence has sent shockwaves across the nation, especially to the Kuki community, prompting widespread condemnation.

In the aftermath of the heinous act, concerns about escalating tensions in the region loom large, casting a shadow over the upcoming electoral process.

In a chilling act of barbarity, armed Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol group ruthlessly desecrated the bodies of the fallen Kuki volunteers, mercilessly firing upon them multiple times even after death, utterly devoid of any shred of humanity or reverence for the dead. The dead corpses were dragged down the hill slope and later mutilated into pieces.

The outbreak of fresh violence, fueled by the aggression of armed Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol has now spread to Kangpokpi District after their brutal assault on Peljang Haikot Kuki villages in Tengnoupal District yesterday.

Amidst the lingering tension in Peljang-Haikot after Friday’s heinous attack, armed Meitei militants and Arambai Tenggol struck again. This time, their target was the Kuki populace in Kamu-Saichang, Bongjang, and Monglham villages of the Phailengmol region in Kangpokpi District.

According to the Phailengmol Defence Committee, the tranquillity of Kamu-Saichang, Bongjang and Monglham villages was shattered at 8:30 AM on Saturday morning as they were besieged from multiple fronts in a meticulously coordinated attack by Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol.

The Committee also said that Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol backed by Meitei Police Commandos in cutting-edge bulletproof vehicles (Mine Protected Vehicles), recently acquired by the Government of Manipur, launched a devastating assault on the Kuki at Bongjang old village, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire.

Another group of Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol along with the state Meitei police commandos attacked Monglham village near Karong, sparking intense gunfight across multiple fronts.

Brandishing sophisticated weapons including snipers, Meitei militants and the Arambai Tenggol were sighted maneuvering through the hills, evidently gearing up for another impactful assault.

Two Kuki volunteers were brutally killed in the second attack by Meitei militants and Arambai Tenggol, aided by the Meitei Police Commandos. The fallen heroes are identified as Kamminlal Lupheng (23) S/o Paolet Lupheng of K.Sajal Village, Kangpokpi District, and Kamlengsat Lunkim (22) S/o Thangkhomang Lunkim of Bongjang Village, Kangpokpi District.

Meitei militants and Arambai Tenggol combatants were also witnessed atop the hill, from several viral videos, jubilantly cheering and fervently chanting slogans such as “Arambai Tenggol na Yaiphare” and “Meitei na Yaiphare” after the attack.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi called an emergency meeting following the Phailengmol region’s incident.

It is widely acknowledged that all the gun battles in the ongoing Manipur violence occurred within the Kuki dominated hills, indicating that the attacks were carried out by armed Arambai Tenggol and Meitei militants.

However, since the eruption of Manipur Mayhem, which delineated the separation between the Kuki and the Meitei, the Meitei-owned media houses based in Imphal and some other hills based Media houses have repeatedly reported otherwise, never failing to portray the Kuki as the attacker, building narratives and vilifying the Kuki as opposed to the factual occurrence where Meitei militants have always been the aggressor.

Following the brutal killing of two Kuki volunteers and the shooting of a labourer belonging to the Kuki community at Gamgiphai by armed Meitei Militants, the Committee on Tribal Unity, or the CoTU, Sadar Hills imposed a 24-hour total shutdown in the entire Sadar Hills Kangpokpi District from midnight of April 13 till midnight of April 14.

While condemning the alleged state-sponsored clandestine attacks to the Phailengmol region this morning by secessionist armed Meitei Militants in which two Kuki volunteers sacrificed their lives to defend the area, CoTU also condemned the shooting of a labourer belonging to the Kuki community at Kuki dominated area of Gamgiphai on April 12 by armed Meitei militants.

The Kuki top body stated that illegal quarrying and pilferage of villages at L. Songphel, Saichang, Bongjang, Kamu-Saichang, and Bongbal Khullen by the Meiteis were precursors to the recent incident of Phailengmol region.

“The insatiable appetite to wage war and aggression by the majoritarian Meitei community against the minority Kuki community is a clear indication to exert political dominance over the minority”, stated CoTU.

The Committee also expressed dismay over the alleged state Election Commission’s indifferent attitude towards the rampant movement of secessionist Meitei Militants in the valley districts stating that it is a disservice to the democratic set-up of the country.

The Committee then stated that a 24-hour Total Shutdown would be imposed in the entire Sadar Hills Kangpokpi District with effect from midnight of April 13 till midnight of April 14 as a mark of protest against the inhuman and barbaric act of the secessionist Meitei militants and their willful disregard of the Modal Code of Conduct of the Election Commission of India.