Bid to pin blame on ‘VBIGs’ called out
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 8: In a statement laced with "advices" for media firms, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has condemned the death of two children at Tronglaobi yesterday and made an attempt to pin the attack on "valley based insurgent groups".
It expressed grief over the deaths of the two minors, and said it condemns the "use of high-grade weaponry against civilians at Tronglaobi".
It termed yesterday's attack a “calculated attempt to reignite discord and hold the State to ransom”.
Notably, the two children, Oinam Tomthin (5 years) and Oinam Yaisana (5 months) were killed in a bomb attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai yesterday.
Calling for "restraint and responsibility in reportage," CoTU cautioned "valley-based media houses against publishing unverified information, stressing that adherence to 'fair and balanced journalism' is crucial in preventing escalation of tensions."
Even as it advised media firms against publishing unverified information, CoTU, however, claimed that the attack bore the hallmark of "valley-based insurgent groups"--without providing any evidence.
It said "the use of explosives such as landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) bore distinct signatures of valley-based insurgent groups."
It asserted that there was “no incentive” for members of the Kuki-Zo community to enter Meitei-dominated areas as their "primary concern remains the protection of their land within designated buffer zones."
It may be noted here that during the violent conflict since May 2023, the Kuki militants have used long range mortars, rockets propelled grenades, local-made pumpis and many sophisticated weaponry including drones to drop bombs on civilians and security forces.
The use of weaponised drones by Kuki militants was first reported in September 2024 and later in January 2025.
On both occasions, it was Kuki militants who used the weapons and targeted civilians and security forces.
The first use of drones to drop bombs was reported at Koutruk on September 1, 2024. During the aerial and ground attack, Kuki militants killed a young mother and severely injured her minor daughter.
The drone attack launched by Kuki militants later on January 14, 2025 targeted a temporary camp of the Manipur Rifles near Kangchup Chingkhong Langdeibung Bridge under Lamshang police station.
In 2023, State security forces' camps in Moreh were attacked using rocket propelled grenades by Kuki militants. Chingtham Anand Kumar, a Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), was shot dead by a sniper on October 31, 2023.
Further, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) described protesters storming a CRPF camp in the aftermath of the killing of the two children yesterday as an "attack" which it claims was “a diversionary tactic to conceal a larger, sinister design driven by vested political interests.”
Angered by the "failure" of the CRPF stationed near Tronglaobi to protect the lives of civilians, a large number of protesters had stormed the camp and vandalised some vehicles.
The CRPF personnel had then resorted to firing, which injured several persons and killed at least 3 people.
IMPHAL, Apr 8: In a statement laced with "advices" for media firms, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has condemned the death of two children at Tronglaobi yesterday and made an attempt to pin the attack on "valley based insurgent groups".
It expressed grief over the deaths of the two minors, and said it condemns the "use of high-grade weaponry against civilians at Tronglaobi".
It termed yesterday's attack a “calculated attempt to reignite discord and hold the State to ransom”.
Notably, the two children, Oinam Tomthin (5 years) and Oinam Yaisana (5 months) were killed in a bomb attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai yesterday.
Calling for "restraint and responsibility in reportage," CoTU cautioned "valley-based media houses against publishing unverified information, stressing that adherence to 'fair and balanced journalism' is crucial in preventing escalation of tensions."
Even as it advised media firms against publishing unverified information, CoTU, however, claimed that the attack bore the hallmark of "valley-based insurgent groups"--without providing any evidence.
It said "the use of explosives such as landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) bore distinct signatures of valley-based insurgent groups."
It asserted that there was “no incentive” for members of the Kuki-Zo community to enter Meitei-dominated areas as their "primary concern remains the protection of their land within designated buffer zones."
It may be noted here that during the violent conflict since May 2023, the Kuki militants have used long range mortars, rockets propelled grenades, local-made pumpis and many sophisticated weaponry including drones to drop bombs on civilians and security forces.
The use of weaponised drones by Kuki militants was first reported in September 2024 and later in January 2025.
On both occasions, it was Kuki militants who used the weapons and targeted civilians and security forces.
The first use of drones to drop bombs was reported at Koutruk on September 1, 2024. During the aerial and ground attack, Kuki militants killed a young mother and severely injured her minor daughter.
The drone attack launched by Kuki militants later on January 14, 2025 targeted a temporary camp of the Manipur Rifles near Kangchup Chingkhong Langdeibung Bridge under Lamshang police station.
In 2023, State security forces' camps in Moreh were attacked using rocket propelled grenades by Kuki militants. Chingtham Anand Kumar, a Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), was shot dead by a sniper on October 31, 2023.
Further, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) described protesters storming a CRPF camp in the aftermath of the killing of the two children yesterday as an "attack" which it claims was “a diversionary tactic to conceal a larger, sinister design driven by vested political interests.”
Angered by the "failure" of the CRPF stationed near Tronglaobi to protect the lives of civilians, a large number of protesters had stormed the camp and vandalised some vehicles.
The CRPF personnel had then resorted to firing, which injured several persons and killed at least 3 people.