A horrific and bloody incident has once again occurred in the northeastern border state of Manipur. On Thursday afternoon, a group of unidentified armed miscreants forcibly entered Pilong village in Kamjong district, located right next to the Indo-Myanmar border, and opened indiscriminate fire, killing four innocent villagers on the spot. Preliminary investigations suggest that the group, suspected to be members of a rebel organisation from neighbouring Myanmar, was equipped with modern automatic weapons.
According to the police, the deceased have been identified as Phami Jajo (43), Ningthem Kashak (35), Betterson Jajo (50), and Varesim Jajo (67). Another individual present during the attack managed to escape and took shelter in a nearby forest. Upon receiving news of the incident, a joint team from the Chassad Police Station and Assam Rifles arrived at the scene, recovered the bodies, and sent them to the Kamjong district headquarters for post-mortem examination. The police have already registered a suo-motu case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to begin an investigation.
Local Naga organisations have reacted strongly to this brutal massacre. The apex body of the Tangkhul Naga community, ‘Tangkhul Naga Long’ (TNL), has declared a 24-hour total emergency shutdown in its areas from 7:00 AM on September 25 to 7:00 AM on September 26. The organisation alleged that cadres of the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) and other armed groups shot and killed these four innocent individuals.
Meanwhile, amidst this volatile security situation at the border, the upcoming visit of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh to Ukhrul district has drawn sharp reactions. The Tangkhul Naga youth organisation ‘Khanuithot-Khon’ has demanded the cancellation of the Chief Minister’s official visit scheduled for September 28. Accusing the government of failing to ensure security despite the killing of several Naga people in recent times, the organisation stated that holding government camps without ensuring peace, justice, and accountability is unacceptable. This firing incident in the remote hilly area of Kamjong has once again created intense panic and a sense of insecurity throughout the region.
