A village volunteer and two Assam Rifles personnel sustained injuries in a gunbattle with Kuki militants at Tairenpokpi under the jurisdiction of Lamshang Police station, Imphal West district on Thursday morning.
The shootout started after villagers of Tairenpokpi Maning Leikai went searching for their lost cows at the intersection of Kangpokpi district and Imphal West district around 4.45 am, as per the sources.
The Kuki militants started attacking the villagers by firing bombs and guns from N Boljang, L Jangnomphai and S Saheibung village which are all Kuki villages under New Keithelmanbi Police Station in Kangpokpi district, sources said.
As per the villagers, most of their cows that went to graze did not make their way back home since the ethnic clash which broke out on May 3.
The villagers said that following the eruption of the clash on May 3, the numbers of cows that had gone to graze but failed to return home have been increasing. Meanwhile, there have been many incidents of the Kuki militants attacking the villagers while they were searching to bring back their cows from the foothills.
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As per sources, there was an intense gunfight between Tairenpokpi village volunteers and suspected Kuki militants after the attack from the Kuki villages, during which a village volunteer sustained injuries. The Assam Rifle personnel also fired a 2 inch mortar shell against the militants during the gunfight. Two AR personnels also sustained injuries.
The injured personnel are havildar Rajendar and warrant officer Pravesh of 44 Assam Rifles, both of them are currently posted at 10 Assam Rifles Kotlen.
Following the incident, a large number of womenfolk blocked the roads at Sagolband Tera Wangthonbi Crossing, Takyel Kolom Leikai, Maklang, Phayeng, Lamshang and Uripok Naoremthong to stop the central forces vehicles from entering into the area.
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