November 16, 2023: The Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal (KIT) district vehemently condemned the attack on 20 Assam Rifles by suspected valley-based insurgency groups (VBIGs) in Kuk-Zo areas in Manipur’s Tengnoupal District.
The suspected banned Meitei militants ambushed a troop of 20 Assam Rifles by planting and exploding two powerful Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Saibol area of Tengnoupal district on Thursday morning. The militants also opened fire on the Assam Rifles following which the AR retaliated. Fortunately, none of the AR personnel were injured in the incident.
The incident came three days after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared several Meitei extremist groups, based in Myanmar, as outlawed organisations under UAPA.
In its press condemnation on Thursday, the Kuki top body of the district mentioned that an Indian Aadhaar Card of one Moirangthem Premananda was among the items seized by anti-junta democratic forces when they captured the camps of the combined forces of Junta Army and Meitei extremists in Tamu District, Myanmar. “Taking advantage of the porous border, these Meitei terrorist groups had been carrying out their terror activities on Assam Rifles and Kuki-Zo civilians,” it alleged.
While the attack was suspected to be the handiwork of the Meitei militants, several Imphal- based Meitei media houses had implicated an SoO group - UKLF over the incident. However, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), one of the banned Meitei secessionist group, has claimed responsiblity on its social media post.
The Kuki body said that the Myanmar based Meitei terror groups, who have been declared as “outlawed” by MHA, should stop such activities in Kuki-Zo areas. “If they have the guts to challenge the Indian government, let them do so in their valley areas,” it said, alleging that several Meitei media houses which often implicated the Kuki-Zo community in such incidents were nothing but a media house without media ethics and a mouthpiece of terrorist groups.
The Kuki Inpi also stated that attacking the Indian security forces in Kuki-Zo areas and then blaming and implicating the Kuki insurgent groups under ‘Suspension of Operation’ clearly showed the intention of the Meitei terrorists and Meitei media to create a rift between Assam Rifles and Kuki-Zo community and to derail the SoO agreement.
Stressing that such attacks on central security forces performing their duty must be put down with a firm hand, the Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal district called upon all authorities concerned to work in a close concerted effort to bring the assailants of the attack to justice.
SOURCE: Thingkho Le Malcha - A Daily Newsletter by KSO Media & Documentation Cell
