Two shot dead, houses burnt by militants in Manipur

Suspected militants attacked a village in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Thursday, gunning down two persons and burning several houses, police said.

The incident took place a day after the bodies of six Naga civilians were recovered in Kangpokpi district. It is suspected that the mortal remains belonged to those held hostage by armed groups. Kultuh Kuki, a small village, was attacked by suspected militants at around 4.55 am, during which two persons were killed, police said. Some 30 households near the border area with Myanmar were also burnt, the official said. Security forces have reached the remote village, but the identity of the perpetrators is yet to be known.

Kuki Baptist Convention condemned the killings and urged the authorities to take “decisive and comprehensive measures” to ensure protection of civilians.

On the killing, Congress leader Dr Lamtinthang Haokip claimed that “the Head Deacon of the Kultuh Church and Chairman of the Youth Dept were brutally murdered.”

He alleged that the Government’s failure to control the situation is “beyond tolerance”.