Manipur: Two killed as armed assailants open fire on vehicles on NH-202 near Ukhrul

Guwahati: Two persons were shot dead along National Highway-202 in Manipur on Saturday following unidentified armed assailants opened fire on vehicles heading towards Ukhrul.

The attack came at a time when chief minister Y Khemchand Singh on Friday undertook a tour to Ukhrul to bridge the trust deficit.

A senior police officer who does not want to be named said, “The deceased have been identified as SW Chinaoshang (46), a resident of Tashar village and Yaruingam Vashum (42) of Kharasom. Both were residents of Ukhrul district and were travelling from Imphal at the time of the attack.”


Official said, “Several vehicles traveling T.M. Kasom village along the highway came under attack as unidentified people fired bullets."

Manipur has been witnessing a series of late-night protests since April 7. The torch light rallies demanding justice for two minors killed in a bomb attack has engulfed the valley. On Friday night police fired tear gas shells to disburse protestors. Five people were injured.

Y Khemchand Singh stated in X, “Called on by a delegation from AMSU Headquarters, led by its President, at the Secretariat. A memorandum highlighting key concerns was submitted. The Government has taken note with utmost seriousness and will address these through coordinated and timely action. We remain firmly committed to translating public concerns into meaningful outcomes for the people.”

Singh stated, “The briefing by IGAR (South) at the Secretariat today reaffirmed that the law-and-order situation in the State is sensitive but under control, with security forces responding to all disturbances with utmost care and restraint. I urge all citizens to remain cautious of rumours and misinformation that may incite unrest. The Government is committed to ensuring justice, which will be delivered in due course, while maintaining peace and stability across the State”.

The Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) stated that it is extremely infuriated over the brutal attack on civilians near Yaolen Kuki village at around 2.35pm on Saturday by Kuki SoO cadres resulting to the dead of two Tangkhul Naga civilians, a retired Indian army cadre of the Naga
Regiment from Tashar village.

TNL stated in a statement, "The grave incident is beyond words for anyone to describe the savagery of the Kukis, who have gone beyond the limit of human conscience and morality. Ever since the conflict between the Tangkhul Nagas and the Kukis started in early February, Kuki militants have been openly attacking civilians in Litan, Laho, Sinakeithei, Sikibung and Thawai.The passengers including women, children and ailing persons were travelling from Imphal to Ukhrul and had traversed through Mahadev and Litan with the help of security escorts. The attack was carried out as soon as the escort team had returned towards Litan. As many as six vehicles were travelling and hit by the Kuki militants who advertently resorted to targeting the civilians with snipers and other sophisticated long-range rifles."

The body added, "The apathetic silence of the State and Central forces, who have openly allowed the atrocities of the feral Kukis to continue unchecked, has emboldened the Kuki militants to carry out such an inhuman attack. The inability of the security forces to comb out illegal
militants and to undertake area domination exercises begs the question on whether the security forces are incompetent or simply complicit with the Kuki militants. As such, the responsibility for the dead of the two martyrs now lies solely in the hands of the State and the Central Government.The Working Committee of TNL demands the State Government to immediately undertake a combing operation at Yaolen and adjoining Kuki villages".

The Manipur government on Saturday revoked the suspension of mobile internet and data services, including broadband, across five Imphal Valley districts. The suspension of mobile internet and data services was initially imposed for three days, hours after a deadly bomb attack in Bishnupur district on April 7. The attack claimed the lives of two children and left their mother injured.

Since then, the restrictions have been extended in several phases, typically for two days at a time, across the five Imphal Valley districts, Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur. The measure was aimed at preventing any escalation of violence.

Manipur Home Department Joint Secretary Mayengbam Veto Singh, in a notification issued on Saturday, said that the state government reviewed the prevailing situation, including the inconveniences and suffering faced by the public due to the internet ban, which had affected the functioning of important offices and institutions.

According to the notification, the affected institutions and organisations included High Courts and District Courts, people working from home, chartered accountancy firms, lawyers, health facilities, refuelling centres, electricity and mobile recharge services, liquefied petroleum gas booking services, educational institutions, taxation offices, and other online citizen-centric services.

“…the Governor of Manipur is pleased to order revocation of any temporary suspension of mobile internet services/mobile data services, including virtual private network services, in the territorial jurisdiction of the five districts of Manipur, Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur, in public interest with immediate effect,” Singh said in the notification.