Villagers of Nongshum, Imphal East district in violence-hit Manipur, are seen guarding the village with license guns by taking turns. Living in constant fear of attacks by militants, they have urged the authorities concerned to provide a security outpost as they feel they might not be able to defend the village against SoO armed militants for a longer period.
Nongshum is a small locality located adjacent to nine villages inhabited by the Kuki community, at the periphery of Khundrakpam Assembly constituency, Imphal East district.
Nongshum Village Development Committee president Konjengbam Ibungobi told mediapersons on Tuesday that since the start of the ethnic clash, people of the village are living in fear not knowing when the militants are going to attack.
He said, since the start of the communal clash, no security forces have been deployed at the village. During day time, some state commando forces came to the village for a short-term patrolling but, during night time, there are no security forces to protect them.
He said some armed people suspected to be SoO militants are seen in the nearby hilltop armed with sophisticated weapons.
“If the suspected armed militants are to attack the village, they have no option to defend the village with mere license guns and rifles,” Ibungobi lamented.
He appealed to the state and Central governments to provide either state or central paramilitary forces in the village for the present and urged the state government to establish a permanent police outpost for the safety of the villagers.
Earlier, Chief Minister N Biren Singh had expressed that the paramilitary forces will be deployed at peripheral areas to control any sort of communal clash.
However, many villages in peripheral areas and other people have been reporting that the Central paramilitary forces were not deployed at these vulnerable areas.
Amid the unrest, the villagers continue to guard the village with license guns at bunkers by taking turns.
Also Read: Manipur Unrest: Villagers live in fear from SoO militants, hoping for rescue
