Three suspected Kuki militants have been allegedly killed and one injured following a fierce gunfight at Torbung area under the jurisdiction of Phougakchao Ikhai Police Station in Bishnupur district between security forces, village volunteers and Kuki militants. The shootout that started late Saturday continued till early Sunday, sources said.
According to the sources, a woman also received bullet injuries on her stomach from the gunshots by Kuki militants around 4 am Sunday and is undergoing treatment at Raj Medicity, Imphal. The injured has been identified as a 24-year-old Seinaz, wife of one Md Graffer of Kwakta Ward No1.
An Assam Rifles bullet proof vehicle parked near the Kuki militant area was also destroyed by a bomb blast from the Kuki militant’s side. Some AR personnel might also have been injured in the incident, the sources said.
Kuki militants burned down a school in Torbung within their area after emptying the school at around 6 pm Saturday, the source said, adding that the militants fired gunshots towards the 10th Battalion BSF personnel and womenfolk when they tried to approach the school,.
The BSF personnel retaliated at the attack while the 16-Kumaon Regiment also rushed to the area to help the BSF. Later at around 9 pm, village volunteers also joined in the gunfight, the sources said.
The sources said some women who came along with the Kuki militants from Kangvai side shouted on the mic to stop the gunfight from both sides but the announcement went in vain and the gunfight turned bloody, allegedly killing three Kuki militants.
There was sudden silence from the Kuki’s side and an ambulance arrived at the scene after a couple of minutes and they again continued their attack as soon as the ambulance left, the sources said.
The Kuki militants continued their attack by shooting 10 mortar shells at Phougakchao Ikhai Awang Leikai Ward No 9 at around 1:30 am Sunday, where three of them failed to explode, they said.
The militants again fired towards the 16-Kumaon Regiment deployed at Torbung Sabal Leikai using RPG 3 at around 2:00 am Sunday. They continued firing mortar shells towards 193 Bn D-Coy CRPF deployed in Torbung at around 4 am on Sunday.
