Northeast Desk, 11th January: In a disturbing incident in violence-affected Manipur, a fierce gun battle erupted between two groups, resulting in the tragic deaths of four individuals at Haotak Phailen village in the Churachandpur district on January 10 around 3 pm. The village is situated on the border of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts, with Bishnupur being Meitei-dominated and Churachandpur primarily inhabited by the Kuki tribe.
Locals of Haotak Phailen village claim that the gunfight occurred in the forest of Haotak Phailen village, approximately 38 km from the district headquarters. Allegedly, a group from Tampha Khunou, a nearby village northeast of Haotak Phailen, took advantage of the proximity and engaged in illegal firewood cutting in the village’s forest.
Village volunteers swiftly responded to reports of the illegal activity, leading to a heated gunfight that lasted over an hour. Four individuals from the group involved in wood cutting were reported killed, with no casualties reported among the Haotak Phailen village volunteers.
While Kuki village volunteers alleged that the intruders were armed militants, locals in Tampha Khunou claimed that the four deceased were innocent civilians harvesting ginger near the area of the gunfire. They asserted that Kuki militant groups were responsible for the killings, an accusation dismissed by the other side.
The deceased individuals have been identified as Oinam Romen Meitei (45), Ahanthem Dara Meitei (56), Thoudam Ibomcha Meitei (53), and Thoudam Anand Meitei (27). Ahanthem and his son Anand are from the same family.
Prior to the incident, missing reports for the four individuals had been filed at Kumbi Police Station in Bishnupur. While three bodies have been recovered, the fourth remains missing. Reports indicate that six rounds of mortar firing occurred along with gunfire from small firearms during the incident.
These events unfold against a backdrop of ongoing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities, with intermittent violence reported in recent months. The clashes, which erupted in May last year, have claimed 180 lives to date.