AR firings create terror in Kpi

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI | Jan 12

Personnel of 38 Assam Rifles blank fired for an hour over the alleged attacked to its post at Kangpokpi by unknown miscreants yesterday evening.

Since more than six years, there has been a peaceful environment in the town. However, the firing incident yesterday evening created an extreme fearful atmosphere among the innocent civilians of the town and its surrounding areas.

The 38 Assam Rifles post at the heart of Kangpokpi district was allegedly attacked with Chinese hand grenades followed by firing from two different directions in an alleged attempt to hurt the security personnel compelling the AR personnel to reiterate by opening blank fire at around 8:50 pm.

Grenades explosion and gun fire were heard by the locals, which were immediately followed by continuous gun shots till 10:10 pm creating extremely panic situation in the entire district. Many church goers for learning gospel hymns were reportedly struck at their respective churches till midnight while some spent the night in their friend’s house.

The AR post located in the heart of the town under the jurisdiction of Ward No.11 is surrounded by many government establishments including DC Complex and many other department offices in the west, District Hospital Complex in the north, Orthopedic Hospital, Orphanage Home, KT School and others in the south and national Highway-2 in the east. Many residential houses were also located near to the fencing of the AR post along the DC road where the alleged unknown miscreants suspected to have attacked and hurled the grenades.

Later in the morning, it was discovered that one domestic pig belonging to Lhingpi Khongsai, a resident of Ward No. 11 residing near to the fencing of the AR camp was killed during the blank fire while most of the houses on the same direction bore multiple bullet marks. However, no human casualty has been reported on the part of the security forces and civilian as well. Two crater of grenade explosion also found inside the AR Camp while another unexploded grenade was found inside the camp, which the AR personnel with bomb expert exploded safely at around 3 pm this afternoon. Multiple splinter marks and bullet marks were also seen in some structure inside the AR camp while a water tank (Sintex) near the barrack of the AR also bore one bullet mark.

Meanwhile, the local civil bodies under the aegis of Kangpokpi Town Committee including Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organisation and Kanggui Youth Union held an emergency meeting today afternoon at Kanggui Youth Union office chaired by chairman of the town committee, Chonkam Kipgen. The meeting vehemently condemned the alleged attacked of the 38 AR Kangpokpi post and demanded whoever the culprits to come up openly with their motive at the earliest for the larger welfare of people of the district.

It also condemned in strongest term the alleged provoked firing of the Assam Rifles personnel in the aftermath of the alleged attack creating an extreme unease atmosphere in the town rendering innocent children, women and the general populace.

It further resolved that the local civil bodies will not tolerate if any innocent civilian was harassed by the security forces in the aftermath of yesterday’s incident.