Youth from Sinakeithei village sustains bullet injury, village authority questions consistency and effectiveness of security forces

A youth from Sinakeithei village was reportedly shot by Kukis from a bunker constructed on Lungter Hill of Sinakeithei village.

The villager  has been identified as Chihanngam Rungsung, aged 30, who as per Sinakeithei village authority was was not in any advancing position, but was simply moving within the village itself, 

Sinakeithei Village Authority issued a  release on Wednesday night stating that the bullet pierced through Chihanngam's heel, leaving him injured and further underscoring the immediacy and severity of the threat faced by civilians. 

As per the authority, the incident makes it unequivocally clear that even basic movement within one's own village has become life-threatening, and that no civilian space can be considered safe under the current circumstances.

The village authority claimed that Sinakeithei, a Tangkhul Naga Village, has been under sustained and coordinated armed attack for over two months now, during which  Kuki groups have continued their offensive activities without abatement, progressively encroaching into multiple areas of the village.

 It is also stated that the Kuki groups have established bunkers, trenches, and camps-particularly across the Lungter Hill Range, which has emerged as a key strategic stronghold for their operations.

The authority claimed that the situation on the ground remains largely unchanged despite the deployment of the army and security forces within the village and the presence of regular patrols along the Lungter road, the situation on the ground remains largely unchanged. 

"Kuks continue to open fire indiscriminately and have, on several occasions, used explosives, creating an atmosphere of constant fear, instability, and danger for the residents of Sinakeithei", stated the release.

The village authority maintained that the people of Sinakeithei have largely taken a defensive stance, focusing on protecting their homes, land, community and preventing further occupation by the Kukis, rather than escalating the conflict.

 However, such restraint has not deterred continued encroachment. Rather, the Kukis have been constructing bunkers and fortifications in full view of the deployed security personnel, raising serious concerns among locals regarding the apparent lack of intervention against these unlawful activities, the village authority added.

Following the strict warnings issued by army and the security forces stationed in the area that any party initiating fire would face severe consequences, the people of Sinakeithei have respected these directives and have adhered to them with notable restraint and discipline. 

However, despite these clear warnings, firing by Kuki have continued without restraint. While there have been instances where the army and the security forces responded-seemingly with warning shots-there appears to be little follow-through in enforcing the consequences they had outlined, the release stated 

"This disparity between compliance on one side and continued violations on the other has raised serious concerns among the villagers regarding the consistency and effectiveness of enforcement on the ground", stated the release.