Guwahati: A Kuki-Zo man was killed and four others from the community were injured in an ambush allegedly carried out by Tangkhul Naga militants in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Saturday afternoon, taking the death toll in the state’s hill districts to 11 in the last eight days.During this period, four Kuki-Zos, including two women, six Nagas and a Gorkha have been killed in Kamjong, Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts.Saturday’s incident took place at Chassad village, where two persons, including a woman, were killed in the last one week.According to reports, the five Chassad villagers on Saturday had ventured out of the village to repair damaged power supply lines when they were ambushed. The injured were rushed to a nearby Assam Rifles hospital where Seikhohao Haokip (35), a village authority member, succumbed to injuries.The other four undergoing treatment at the AR hospital include Chassad village chief Thangjahao Haokip, Phungtha (Kachouphung-Kuki) village chief Seipao Haokip, Chassad village authority secretary Thanggin Thouthang and village authority member St. Khailun Haokip.The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi district alleged that the attack was carried out by “armed secessionist Tangkhul militants.”The Kuki-Zo body questioned the silence of elected legislators and demanded the deployment of central forces to protect “minority villages”. It also warned of retaliation if the community was left unprotected.In a statement issued on Saturday, the Kuki-Zo body criticised the legislators who it said “championed accountability and higher moral character” on social media and news channels but remained a “sitting duck” when misfortune befell communities other than their own.The committee urged legislators from Ukhrul, Kamjong, Noney and Tamei to “rein in and control” armed groups — NSCN-IM and the Myanmar-based Naga Eastern Flank. It alleged that both groups were led by Tangkhuls and warned that continued violence could irreparably damage relations between the communities.Kamjong and Ukhrul are neighbouring hill districts in eastern Manipur along the India-Myanmar border. Kamjong was carved out of Ukhrul in 2016, and both districts have Tangkhul Naga-majority populations. Kangpokpi, to the north, has a Kuki-Zo majority.
