Ukhrul:
An attempted attack on Kuki-inhabited areas in Manipur’s Ukhrul district was reportedly foiled on Monday after village volunteers intercepted suspected Tangkhul militant elements during a patrol operation, according to a press statement issued by the Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul.
The statement said the incident occurred barely four days after the recent attack on Mulam Kuki village, heightening tensions in the region. Based on what it described as credible local inputs, suspected Tangkhul militants were believed to have been present along the Kampa Mol (Mount Compass) ridge areas. These locations are considered shared and cultivated lands associated with several Kuki villages, including Yaolen Chepu, Mongkot Chepu, Lamlai Chingphei, and Mulam.
Acting on this information, Kuki village volunteers reportedly launched a preventive patrol aimed at securing the surrounding forested areas within their jurisdiction. The objective, the statement noted, was to ensure the safety of villagers amid what it termed repeated threats and incursions.
During the patrol, volunteers allegedly encountered armed individuals who had already entered the jungle areas within Kuki village territory. The situation escalated into an exchange of fire between the two sides at around 11:10 a.m., within what the statement described as the shared boundary area but still inside Kuki village land.
The Kuki CSO Working Committee asserted that the incident raises serious concerns over the ongoing conflict dynamics in the region. It questioned the contradiction between public narratives of victimhood by certain Tangkhul civil society organisations and the reported presence of armed elements within Kuki-inhabited territories.
The committee further alleged that such incidents indicate a pattern of aggressive actions on the ground, which it claimed contradicts calls for peace and reconciliation. It warned that these developments could point toward attempts to distort realities while enabling or overlooking acts of violence against Kuki villages.
Reiterating its stance, the organisation emphasized its commitment to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among communities. However, it maintained that peace cannot be sustained in the face of repeated armed incursions and intimidation. The statement concluded by affirming that while peace remains the preferred path, the protection of land, rights, and people remains non-negotiable.
