Kamjong, July 22 | EKHON: Calling the incident a ‘terror act’, the Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has strongly condemned the destruction of the Bailey Bridge over the Namban River in Kamjong district, alleging that the attack was carried out by Kuki militants in collusion with the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B).
The TNL said the 130-foot Bailey Bridge, constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in 2016, was destroyed in a powerful explosion during the intervening night of July 21 and 22. According to the TNL, the blast caused the bridge to collapse at its midpoint, cutting off the vital road connecting Kamjong district headquarters with Sahamphung Sub-Divisional headquarters through Chatric Khullen and Chatric Khunou villages.
The organisation claimed that, based on spot investigations, those behind the attack had made multiple attempts to sabotage the bridge before succeeding on their third attempt.
The TNL also alleged that the attackers set fire to a Bolero jeep (Registration No. MNO 3P 5651) belonging to the Telecom Department, which had reportedly broken down near the bridge and had been left at the site.
Describing the incident as a “terror act,” the TNL alleged that the perpetrators were militants operating from Kuki villages, including Kultuh, Phaikoh and Molnoi, located inside Myanmar. It further alleged that these groups were supported by the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) and Myanmar’s People’s Defence Force (PDF).
The Tangkhul apex body claimed that armed Kuki groups have, over the past several months, carried out repeated acts of violence in the border areas of Kamjong district, including abductions, killings, arson, vandalism and bomb attacks.
The TNL appealed to the state and central governments to immediately restore the damaged bridge and ensure the reopening of the crucial road connecting the border villages. It also called for a thorough investigation into the incident and urged the authorities to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the destruction of the public infrastructure.
The organisation said the damage to the bridge has caused immense hardship to residents by disrupting connectivity and affecting the movement of people and essential services in the border region.
