IMPHAL, July 2: The Kuki National Front (KNF) has clarified that there was no firing from the side of its cadres during the incident of firing at around 11am today at Panshai Village near the KNF Evenezor camp along the National Highway under Kangpokpi police station involving the escort party of the state Works Minister and local MLA Kangpokpi who were on an inspection tour to take a look at the ongoing work taken up along the highway at Gopibung.
Speaking to the media persons at the Manipur Press Club, Rohan member of the monitoring Group of the Kuki National Front said on behalf of L H Stephen publicity and information KNF, said that yesterday four cadres of the KNF had without giving any prior information to the Camp commander left the camp at around 12 midnight and the four cadres were reported to be present at Keithelmanbi area by the locals of Kethelmanbi following which another four cadres of the KNF in their full camouflage uniform with arms were send out to bring back the four cadres.
He further said that when the eight KNF cadres were returning back to the camp they came across the Minister’s team who were on the inspection tour along the High way and on seeing the team, the cadres quickly proceeded towards the camp and during that time the escort party fired some rounds of bullet on seeing them but the KNF cadres did not retaliate a single round to the escort party and fled the place and went back to their camp
And the report of the gun fight between the Escort party and the KNF cadres at Panshai Area is baseless as there was no such type of incident in the area, except for firing of some rounds of bullet by the escort party he said
He also apologised to the state government, Works Minister and the local MLA Kangpokpi for the unwanted incident which happened today.