Tangkhul folks held captive at Shangkai village after gunfight at Thoyee hills

Mungchan Zimik
UKHRUL, Mar 11: A gunfight broke out at Thoyee hill range in Ukhrul district near the Kangpokpi district border after armed Kuki miscreants accompanying "poppy cultivator" rained bullets on innocent civilians working in the fields today.
There may have been several casualties, but no confirmed reports on the number, said sources.
Following the incident, around 20 civilians including elderly persons, women and children belonging to Tangkhul community were "abducted" while they were travelling on Imphal-Ukhrul road, and held "captive" at Shangkai [Kuki] village, said the sources.
This flare-up between members of the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki community came weeks after a violent clash at Litan Sareikhong in the same district in early February. The violent clash which erupted on February 8, a day after a Tangkhul Naga man was brutally assaulted, saw dozens of houses belonging to both communities being torched, and a large deployment of Central security forces and internet shutdown.
At Thoyee hill range this morning at around 9, sources said, several Thoyee villagers working in the fields were fired upon by Kuki miscreants, who were accompanying poppy cultivators.
This enraged Tangkhul youths of nearby villagers, and they retaliated, resulting in a fierce gunfight.
A video, purported to be of the incident, which has gone viral on social media shows "poppy cultivators fleeing into dense forest."
In the aftermath of the incident, around 20 Tangkhul folks bound for Ukhrul were "detained" by suspected Kuki militants at Shangkai village area.
The Tangkhul civilians were travelling from Imphal to Ukhrul in separate vehicles, including a Winger and cars, said sources.
Reportedly, all the persons were forcibly herded at Shangkai village ground, and their mobile phones are suspected to have been confiscated. Those held captives couldn't be reached on their mobile phones, said the sources.
The Tangkhul civilians held captive have not been released.
The situation in the area remains tense, and vehicular movement on Imphal-Ukhrul has been halted. Vehicles have been stranded at Yaingangpokpi and Leingangching village areas.
The Tangkhul Naga Long has, meanwhile, issued an ultimatum demanding release or rescue of the "hostages" taken by Kuki militants at Shangkai village "within two hours".
The TNL claimed that the more than 20 civilians including elderly persons, women and children were abducted by the Kuki militants in full view of Central security forces personnel at Shangkai village.
The TNL termed the incidents pre-planned acts of violence targeting the Nagas.
TNL said it has completely lost faith and confidence in Central security forces.
It accused the forces of remaining a mute spectator and allowing Kuki militants to carry out "terrorist activities" in broad daylight.
Since early morning, the Kuki militants wielding sophisticated weapons had been raiding Naga villages around the Thawai area and firing rounds of shots at the innocent villagers working in the fields.
The State and the Central Government shall be held solely responsible for all the consequences that might ensue if they fail to rescue the "hostages" safely, said the TNL.