Two Kuki men were killed at the boundary of Kangpokpi-Imphal East districts in Manipur on Saturday, two days before Home Minister Amit Shah’s likely visit for Lok Sabha elections campaign.
The deceased identified as Kamlensat Lunkim (25) and Kamminlal Lupheng (23) were residents of Kangpokpi district.
Kuki-Zo organisations said the gun fight between the Kuki men and cadres of Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei armed group, took place between 8:30am and 10:30am at Kamu Saichang village in Kangpokpi district.
The Kuki organisations alleged the involvement of Arambai Tenggol, Manipur police commandos and some central security forces in the attack.
They said this two Kuki “village volunteers” are youths deployed in bunkers and other vulnerable pockets to “defend” the Kuki villages against possible attack by Meitei miscreants.
Violence broke out in Manipur in May last year between the majority Hindu Meiteis and the mostly Christian Kuki-Zo people. It was triggered by plans to recognise the Meiteis as a Scheduled Tribe – a type of affirmative action that uses quotas to grant minorities government jobs and college admissions.
So far, over 200 people, mostly Kukis, including women and children have been killed, and several homes, businesses and places of worship have been torched with thousands left homeless, many of whom have fled to other states to seek refuge.
