Imphal: Four men's bullet- pocked bodies were recovered from Manipur's Kamjong district in the early hours of Friday. Initially, the police suspect that militants from neighbouring Myanmar were behind the killings.
Vareishim Jajo, Phami Jajo, Betterson Jajo and Ningthem Kashak were the deceased who belonged to the Tangkhul Naga community, they said.
An official said the bodies, bearing bullet marks, were found around 1.30 am at an isolated spot near the Myanmar border in the remote Pilong village, around 34 km from the district headquarters, following a prolonged search by police and villagers.
The bodies have been brought to the Kamjong district hospital for post-mortem, police said.
"Militants from neighbouring Myanmar crossed into Manipur and ambushed five villagers on Thursday. One of them managed to escape and alerted the local authorities," a police official said.
Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh has condemned the killing, saying that "such acts of violence have no place in our society and will not be tolerated". He conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayed to the Almighty to grant them strength and comfort in this hour of grief. Local MLA L Keishing, who visited the village, said that militants from Myanmar attacked the villagers of Pilon, killing four unarmed civilians. The NPF legislator also urged Union and state governments to secure the border and improve security.
Awangbou Newmai, the state president of the Naga People's Front, alleged that members of the Kuki National Army (Burma) were behind it. He appealed to all communities to 'shun violence' and 'co-exist as peaceful neighbours'.
