Village denies incident occurred inside Joujangtek
A second suspected militant ambush in Manipur on Wednesday evening left one man dead and his wife injured in Noney district, hours after the killing of three Thadou Baptist Association (TBA) church leaders in Kangpokpi district earlier in the day.
According to initial reports, the latest ambush took place between Joujangtek and Nungsai villages when a couple was returning home to Dolang village from Imphal.
The deceased was identified as Wilson Thanga of Dolang village. Reports said unidentified armed miscreants opened fire on the couple during the late evening hours, killing Wilson Thanga on the spot while his wife sustained injuries.
She was later shifted for medical treatment.
No official statement regarding the identity of the attackers had been issued at the time of filing this report.
The evening attack marked the second major ambush reported in Manipur within a single day, following the deadly morning assault between Kotzim and Kotlen in Kangpokpi district in which three senior church leaders, including Thadou Baptist Association president Rev V Sitlhou, were killed.
ALSO READ | Manipur: Church leaders ambushed in Kangpokpi, 3 dead
The back-to-back incidents have raised fresh security concerns in the state.
Meanwhile, Joujangtek village authorities issued a clarification after reports circulated on social media claiming that gunshots were fired inside Joujangtek village.
In a statement, the village authority said no such incident occurred within the village itself, but confirmed that villagers heard gunshots from the area between Joujangtek and Nungsai while attending church service.
“We wish to clarify that no such incident occurred within Joujangtek Village,” the statement said.
The village authority further alleged that miscreants may have deliberately carried out the act in the surrounding area to tarnish the image of Joujangtek village.
Condemning the violence in the strongest terms, Joujangtek village pledged full cooperation with law enforcement agencies and appealed for a thorough investigation.
The village also urged the public to maintain peace and harmony.
