Manipur remained tense on Sunday a day after nine people were killed in separate incidents in Kamjong, Ukhrul and Kangpokpi districts over the last two days even as bodies of seven deceased persons were handed over to their families amid an appeal of peace by chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh.
Nine people, including a woman and a Nepali citizen, were killed and at least 14 houses were burnt in separate incidents of fresh violence across Manipur. The incidents involved shootings and ambushes allegedly involving armed Kuki and Naga groups.
The Makui village authority from Kangpokpi district on Sunday demanded the return of the head of a Naga village guard “immediately and unconditionally” for the last rites. The guard was beheaded in Makui village allegedly by armed Kuki militants. Ajinpou was among four Naga guards killed in Saturday’s attack.
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Village authority alleges Kuki militant groups involved in attack
A statement issued by Makui Village Authority claimed that Saturday’s attack was launched by the combined forces of Kuki National Front-Presidential [KNF (P)] faction and Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), along with “foreign element of cross-border terrorist nexus” (KNA-Burma) faction.
“Taking away the head of a deceased person is a grave violation of our customary values, human dignity, and respect for the dead. If you fail to return the head, a heavy curse will fall upon your head and your generations to come”, the Makui Village Authority stated.
Officials said the mortal remains of four were handed over to family members escorted by central security forces on Sunday.
In Kamjong district, the bodies of two Tangkhul Nagas who were killed by unknown armed miscreants have also been handed over to the family members after post-mortem examination at Kamjong district hospital on late Saturday night.
The post-mortem of the bodies of the two Kuki individuals, Domkhonei Touthang and Michael Haokip, was not recorded as family members of the deceased did not reach the police station concerned, a senior police officer said.