IT News,
Jiribam, July 10:
Jiribam District, which had maintained relative peace for over a year, has seen a surge in unrest and violence over the past month after heavily armed militants started attacking Meitei villages. This escalation culminated in a heavy gunfight at Mongbung Meitei village last night after armed Kuki militants attacked the village.
Imphal Times correspondent visited the village to gather a ground report. According to eyewitness accounts, the incident began around 7 PM when the residents of Mongbung village first heard two gunshots coming from the neighboring Seijang Kuki village. This was quickly followed by a barrage of intense firing directed towards Mongbung village.
K. Sumitra Sharma, an 87-year-old resident of Mongbung, provided a harrowing account of the events. “The firing started from Seijang village, and they kept volleying and thundering shots towards our village,” she stated. Fortunately, there was a contingent of Village Defense Force (VDF) personnel and central security forces stationed in Mongbung, who promptly retaliated to protect the villagers.
Despite the efforts of the security forces, the fierce exchange of gunfire continued for nearly two hours, instilling fear and panic among the Mongbung residents. “Most of the women and children had to flee the village in fear,” Sumitra Sharma lamented.
The elderly woman emphasized the urgent need for the deployment of additional security forces to Mongbung to ensure the safety and security of the villagers and their properties. “To protect the lives and properties of the villagers, it’s urgently needed for the deployment of more forces,” she stressed.
The outbreak of gunfire in Jiribam’s Mongbung Meitei village has raised concerns about the fragile state of peace and safety in the region. Authorities are currently investigating the incident and taking measures to restore normalcy in the area.
