Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: Armed militants launched a prolonged attack on Chawangkining Naga village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district late September 15. The assault lasted nearly six hours. Firing began at 10:30 p.m. and persisted until roughly 4:50 a.m. the following morning. Two houses were incinerated and several others sustained damage. Miraculously, no deaths or injuries occurred.
The Chawangkining Village Authority claimed attackers struck from the direction of Kholen, Sejang, and West Haipi villages. Residents are livid. The village sits about 13 to 14 km from the district headquarters. Villager Daniel Charenamai noted the intensity of the standoff: “Our village was attacked around 10.30 pm. The CRPF personnel deployed here returned fire and prevented the village from being overrun.”
CRPF troops stationed nearby returned fire throughout the night. However, the Village Authority and the Liangmai Naga Council, Manipur, blasted the delayed response from state security reinforcements. They argue residents were left exposed until the 4:50 a.m. arrival of additional police. The Liangmai Naga Council further alleged the attack originated from the Songtung Suspension of Operations camp, demanding swift legal action against those involved.
The attack occurred alongside rising tensions in the region. Hours earlier, two women were killed in Leisangphai, located in the neighboring Tamenglong district. Awangbou Newmai, a Naga Peoples’ Front legislator, condemned the violence. A Kuki MLA from Saikul constituency also denounced the Leisangphai killings as acts of “sheer brutality” while alleging involvement by NSCN-IM and ZUF-K cadres. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the assault on Chawangkining. The village authority is calling for an immediate damage assessment, increased security, and financial aid for victims.
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