No fewer than four cadres of the proscribed Kuki militants outfit, the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), were killed and one of them was apprehended in the middle of a raging battle with the security forces in the Churachandpur district of Manipur in the morning. As officials put it, the gun battle was fought at about 6 a.m in Khanpi village, which falls in the Henglep sub-division, about 80 km west of the Churachandpur town. This combined action was conducted, according to certain intelligence of the 21 Para (Special Forces) and the 36 Assam Rifles.
According to a statement issued by Assam Rifles PRO, the militants fired at the security forces without any provocation sparking a fierce firefight. The ensuing fire fight between the troops and the armed cadres of the UKNA (Suspension of Operation), an insurgent group, resulted in four cadres of the terrorist organisation being neutralised and one of them being apprehended.
According to the officials, the operation was initiated because there were recent reports of violent acts by the UKNA militants such as killing of a village chief, intimidating civilians and attempts to sabotage peace in the area. Security officers have stepped up provided search operation in its environs with a view of tracking down any remaining militants.
The unofficial reports reported that at least three Assam Rifles soldier were hurt in the process, but the authorities have not formally reported the same. The corpses of the fallen militants were later picked and delivered to the Churachandpur district hospital where they were post-mortemed.
This meeting is only a few days after the alleged rape and subsequent killing of the village head, T Khonomphai, on October 27, allegedly by the UKNA cadres. The Indian Army and Assam Rifles once again pledged their efforts to keeping peace in the war-torn state of Manipur and the safety of the civilians in the state.
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