By R Lester Makang
UKHRUL, April 10: In what could be construed as a backlash over the recent spate of militant attacks on Assam Rifles patrolling personnel, troops of the 44 Assam Rifles stormed into Kongkan village under Kamjong sub division in Ukhrul district early morning on Thursday and detained the village headman along with other villagers for hours after beating them up indiscriminately. The villagers were later released following intervention from the civil society organizations of the district.
Reports reaching here said that troops of the 44 AR suddenly entered Kongkan Village today morning around 6 am and began to conduct a massive combing operation in the village which lasted till 9 am.
Without any provocation, the AR men began to manhandle and assault the villagers including the headman identified as Shine and other village authority members, sources said while adding that in the ensuing anger-venting exercise, two villagers were badly injured while another VA member was allegedly stripped and beaten in front of the gathering public.
Sources further revealed that as though that did not suffice, the troops went ahead and detained the villagers for several hours without any reason.
Meanwhile, on learning of the unfortunate incident the Tangkhul frontal organizations immediately convened an emergency meeting today and later approached the Brigadier of 10 Sector Assam Rifles posted at Somsai. Following this, the villagers were sent back to their home at around 12 noon, sources added.
It may be recalled that troops of 44 AR had been twice ambushed by suspected UG cadres at Chahong village areas in Kamjong during the last couple of days just ahead of the recently concluded 16th Outer MPC elections in Ukhrul. A rifleman Indarlal Singh had been killed in the second ambush laid by suspected militant outfit on Tuesday last.
