An armed group shot dead a private electric lineman in Manipur’s Tamenglong district early Wednesday, while at least 24 houses in two villages in neighbouring Kangpokpi district were set ablaze hours later, officials said.
Meanwhile, unknown armed people set ablaze two Naga villages, Makui Khuman and Makui Thanamba/Chamruioiu, under the jurisdiction of Chalwa police station. The 36-year-old lineman, Paojangam Chongloi, from Wakotphai village (Kuki village), was repairing a 33 KV power line at Lasan village under Tamei police station around 4am when unidentified armed men allegedly shot him, police said. Later, around 5am, unidentified armed men allegedly attacked and set fire to Makui Khuman and Makui Thanamba/Chamruioiu villages under Chalwa police station in Kangpokpi district, reducing around 24 houses to ashes, officials said. The two villages are located around 15 km northeast of the police station, an official said. The villages are located around 2-3 km apart. Thanggunhao Hangshing, secretary of a local body of Wakotphai village, lodged a written complaint against cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) Issac Muivah faction at Tamei police station regarding the killing of the 36-year-old electric lineman on the same day.
“As my police team are not able to reach the spot, we have requested Kangpokpi police to conduct spot investigation and other necessary legal steps,” the officer-in-charge of Tamei police station told HT. Who requested anonymity, the incident reportedly occurred around 5am when an unknown armed group attacked and set fire to the two villages one after another, according to a villager of Makui Khuman.
