After a two week lull violence returns to Manipur, 3 tribal men killed in a suspected ambush by “trained insurgents”

Three people killed in what is suspected to be a planned militant ambush in Manipur’s Ukhrul early on Friday morning, ending the two week lull of a relatively calm period in the strife torn state. Interestingly Ukhrul had not reported any incident of violence since trouble erupted in Manipur on May 3, thereafter leading to series of clashes and divide between two communities. 

The fresh incident happened in a village called Thowai Kuki where the three victims were on their duty to guard the village. The trio was inside their bunker, sleeping when the ambush took place, claim police. The deceased have been identified as Thangkhokai Haokip (35), Jamkhogin Haokip (26), and Hollenson Baite (24).

“The incident is related to the ongoing ethnic problem in the state. Some armed miscreants entered the area and these three people who were guarding the village were shot. The firing has stopped in the area and security forces comprising the Army and police have moved in”, said Ningshem Vashum, Ukhrul Superintendent of Police. He also added that the village is in a remote location with no security establishment nearby within three kilometres. 

Thowai village is at least 10kms away from the the nearest location in Imphal East where violence has been witnessed in the course of more than 100 day period of tension. The deceased were brutally assaulted, their limbs broken; there were grievous injury marks indicative of stabbing before they were finally shot at. Police suspect the perpetrators could be trained insurgents. 

"This is a pre-planned attack, and a cowardly one. We request security forces to do more to protect tribals who carry single-shot guns while guarding their homes from attackers carrying sophisticated weapons and mortars stolen from police stations and armouries”, said Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum through a statement. 

In a separate incident firing was reported in Thoubal district where three young men were shot at by unidentified gunmen.

Security has been beefed up across the state. Clashes began on May 3 and has so far claimed more than 150 lives, leaving more than 60,000 displaced.