Manipur: Three found dead after heavy gunfire in Ukhrul district

Despite all the efforts of the administration and security forces, sporadic violence continues in Manipur. In the latest incident, three men were killed after heavy gunfire in Ukhrul district on Friday, 18^th August.

As per reports, heavy gunfire broke out at Kuki Thowai village under the Litan Police Station in Ukhrul district today morning. Villagers said that the sounds of heavy gunfire were heard from the village early this morning.

After the firing stopped, 3 villagers went missing. When the police carried out a thorough search in the area including the villages and the nearby forests, badly mutilated bodies of the three missing persons were recovered.

The victims have been identified as Jamkhogin Haokip (26), Thangkhokai Haokip (35) and Hollenson Baite (24). Reportedly, their bodies had injury marks made using sharp weapons, and their limbs were chopped off.

The ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals – Nagas and Kukis – constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts. Kukis in particular have been objecting including Meiteis in the ST list.

On the other hand, it has been alleged that real reason for the violence was crackdown on poppy farming by Kukis in forest areas, including by illegal Kuki immigrants from Myanmar.

The CBI has formed a 53-member team, including 29 women, to probe the violence in the state, including the case of horrific molestation of women who were paraded naked. The team which includes three DIGs – Lovely Katiyar, Nirmala Devi and Mohit Gupta – and Superintendent of Police Rajveer, will report to Joint Director Ghanshyam Upadhyay who will supervise the overall probe.