Imphal: The bodies of four men, allegedly shot dead by suspected militants, were found in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Friday, police said.
The victims, all belonging to the Tangkhul Naga community, were identified as Betterson Jajo, Vareishim Jajo, Phami Jajo and Ningthem Kashak. Phami Jajo is the son of Vareishim Jajo.
A police official in Imphal said the bodies, bearing bullet injuries, were recovered from an isolated location near the Myanmar border in remote Pilong village, around 34 km from the Kamjong district headquarters, following a prolonged search by police and local residents.
The bodies were being brought to the Kamjong District Hospital for post-mortem examinations, the official said.
According to local residents, suspected militants from neighbouring Myanmar crossed into India and allegedly ambushed a group of five villagers on Thursday.
One of the villagers managed to escape and alerted the local authorities, they said.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh strongly condemned the killing of the four Tangkhul civilians and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.
In a post on social media, the Chief Minister’s Office said, “Such acts of violence have no place in our society and will not be tolerated.”
The Chief Minister also prayed for strength and comfort for the bereaved families, the post said.
Naga People’s Front (NPF) Manipur state President Awangbou Newmai also condemned the killings and alleged that cadres of the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) were behind the incident.
He appealed to all communities to shun violence and coexist peacefully.
The Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), a prominent Naga community organisation, alleged that armed KNA-B cadres and other armed elements crossed the Namya river from the Myanmar side and attacked civilians at Pilong.
The TNL alleged that five civilians were keeping watch at the Pilong settlement when the incident occurred, with one of them managing to escape.
The organisation described the incident as the third reported case of cross-border violence against Naga villagers along the India-Myanmar border in Kamjong district.
The TNL also alleged that repeated incidents of cross-border intrusion had raised serious security concerns among villagers and criticised the state government and border security forces, including the Assam Rifles, over the security situation along the International Border.
The organisation said Naga civil society groups had repeatedly brought the issue to the attention of the authorities and sought stronger measures to protect vulnerable border villages.
Police are investigating the incident and further details are awaited.
Five Manipur districts – Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Kamjong and Ukhrul — share a 398 km unfenced International Border with Myanmar.
(IANS)
