IMPHAL, October 2: A day after it was reported that a suspected ZUF cadre was killed in a gunfight between cadres of the outfit and the Army yesterday morning at Khoupum Tamenglong District, certain Zeliangrong organisations including the out have claimed the victim to be an innocent civilian.
Strongly refuting the report that a cadre of the outfit was killed in a gunfight with the Army, the Zeliangrong United Front said it is a false and fabricated report of the security forces to defame the outfit.
A statement of the outfit issued by A Longmei, ZUF information and publicity secretary said there was no gunfight between its cadres and the Madras Regiment anywhere yesterday.
It said the Army should not accuse the innocent Chongkong (Kuki Village) villagers of being ZUF cadres.
The innocent villagers were coming back from Khoupum Bazar after buying medicine for their relatives when they were waylaid by the personnel of the Madras Regiment and one of them shot dead mercilessly, it claimed.
It said the villagers had no link with the ZUF.
The Madras Regiment posted at Khoupum valley has been a state sponsored terrorist brutalizing the innocent villagers, it claimed.
The ZUF release also claimed that the present villagers are having a hard time to even go to their fields for their daily needs.
The ZUF vehemently opposed the `coward and sinister acts` of security forces in the region and Khoupum area in particular which also happens to be the home town of deputy Chief Minister of Manipur who also holds the Home portfolio, it said.
On the other hand, Khoupum Zeliangrong bodies have also condemned the incident stating that indiscriminate firing of the Army killed a civilian.
The Zeliangrong Students Union Khoupum Area (ZSUKA), Khoupum Area Village Authority and Rongmei Luphuam in a joint statement said they vehemently condemned the indiscriminate firing.
The release further said that the trigger happy Gorkha Rifles (2/5 Gorkhas) in the name of insurgency operation, shot dead an innocent civilian Seikholen Haokip son of Jangden Haokip of Songkong Village between Molphei and Tiangkai under Henglep sub-division, Churachanpur district.
The 2/5 Gorkha Rifles fired to kill the civilian and claimed him to be a UG cadre.
It is neither desirable nor tolerable to witness the utter senselessness of the Army in the name of operation, it said.
The series of instances of Army excesses have proved beyond doubt that many civilians have been killed, it said.
It is also to clarify that only one person was shot dead and not two as alleged by the Gorkha Rifles.
The three organisations Zeliangrong Students Union Khoupum Area, Khoupum Area Village Authority and Rongmei Luphuam appealed the Army personnel that such kind of indiscriminate firing should not be repeated in the future said the joint press release signed by Duangam Dangmei convener, Zeliangrong Students Union Khoupum Area; Kangamthaipou Gangmei vice-chairman, Khoupum Area Village Authority and Dimchui secretary, Rongmei Luphuam.