Imphal, Oct 17: Four Kuki men, including the chief of Chassad village and two members of its village authority, were injured in a gunfight that broke out at Chassad village in Manipur’s Kamjong district along the Indo-Myanmar border, on Saturday.
Gunfire reportedly began around 2.30 pm and was continuing till the time of filing this report, with heavy gunshots heard in and around the village. The situation remained tense as further details of the incident were awaited.
The injured were identified as Thangjahou Haokip, chief of Chassad village; St. Khailun Haokip and Seikhohou, both members of the Chassad Village Authority; and Seipao Haokip, chief of Phungtha (Kachouphung-Kuki), who has been staying as an internally displaced person (IDP).
In an emergency update issued at 3.05 pm on October 17, the Chassad Village Authority described the incident as a gun attack and alleged the involvement of cadres of the NSCN-IM. The allegation could not be independently verified.
The village authority also claimed that Saturday’s incident was the 10th such “gun attack” on Chassad since ethnic tensions began escalating earlier this year, highlighting persistent security concerns in the border village.
Following the outbreak of the gunfight, Chassad village authorities convened an emergency meeting to discuss the situation and developments in the village.
Further details about the circumstances of the incident, the condition of the injured and the identity of those involved were awaited, with gunfire reportedly continuing at the time of filing this report.