Litan villagers demand removal of Central security forces

Mungchan Zimik
UKHRUL, Apr 9: The villagers of Litan S Laho [Leingangching] "don't have faith" in the Central security forces, and they want the Government to deploy State forces instead to protect them.
"Central security forces, who have acted in a  partisan manner and against the interests of the people, must be removed and redeployed elsewhere. The people of Litan S Laho have no faith in them whatsoever," said the women of the village in Ukhrul district.
N Angkhang, a representative of the womenfolk, said the villagers, especially women have "suffered" at the hands of the Central security forces.
People expect them to pursue and act against Kuki militants when they attack the village. But instead of taking action against the militants who have attacked civilians they are "harassing" the villagers, she said.
Many bunkers of the Kuki militants from where the village has been attacked are intact,  but they [Central security forces] have dismantled bunkers of Tangkhul villagers, she said.
"Armed Kuki militants are frequently firing toward the village from their bunkers causing fear psychosis among the people," Angkhang said.
Denouncing the Central security forces' "biased action" and their "failure" to stop Kuki militants from attacking the village, womenfolk protested but they were "harassed and beaten," she added.
To disperse the protesters, the Central security forces allegedly used electric-shock batons and chemical spray, she claimed.
Several women were hurt and many suffered from diarrhoea, Angkhang claimed.
"There have been the abduction of 21 Tangkhul civilians in March and multiple instances of Kuki militants firing toward the village. The attackers, however, have not been pursued, but womenfolk of the Litan S Laho village have been beaten and harassed," she said.
Angkhang stressed that frequent attacks by the Kuki militants despite the presence of a large security force have completely halted all agricultural activities.
On April 6, the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul was reportedly threatened at gunpoint by Kuki cadres under SoO along NH-202, and in a separate incident, vehicles of Ukhrul SP escort team were vandalized at Mongkot Chepu. But, no actions have been taken against the perpetrators yet, she said.
The people of the region have no faith in the Central security forces. They are "ineffective and biased". The forces must be removed. Instead, additional State security forces must be deployed to control the situation, said womenfolk of the village.
NT Zingkhai, president of S Laho student organization, said schools have been shut due to frequent attacks by Kuki militants from nearby villages.
Even as NH-202 has remained shut, shops have been shut and all trade activities have been halted. There is a shortage of essential commodities, Zingkhai said.
According to reliable sources, over 12 companies of Central security forces, including CRPF, RAF, BSF etc and around 7-8 columns of the Army, including Mahar, Bihar, Gurkhas, and Assam Rifles are deployed or stationed at present in the region from TM Kasom village to Mahadev including the Sinakeithei village.