Heavy gunfight going on between the BSF and UGs near Henglep

Imphal, February 14: The BSF is fighting a virtual war in the Henglep subdivision with a combined force of about 300 militant fighters, suspected to belong to valley based groups, according to the BSF DIG, PK Mishra who along with reporters had toured the division by helicopter today. Heavy fighting has been going on since 6 in the morning and is expected to carry on throughout the night and into tomorrow, Mishra told the IFP. The militants are well entrenched in bunkers and are blocking the way of the BSF troops approaching towards Henglep on area domination mission before the second phase of the election on February 21. Henglep is the sub-divisional headquarters of the Henglep sub-division in the Churachandpur district. Mishra said by tomorrow the BSF should be able to clear the entire way of the militants and that BSF troops have already sanitized the road upto Tuilengphai about 3 to 5 km from Henglep town. The advancing BSF men are right now camping at Tuilengphai, he said. "Our handicap is the militants are well entrenched in their hunkers and we have to use restraint in using heavy weapons lest civilians are injured," Mishra said. We will however push them away by tomorrow, without using our heavy armoury or injuring a single civilian, the DIG said. Earlier a caller who identified himself as a spokesman of the MPA, the armed wing of the UNLF, said it was they who are fighting the BSF men and have damaged two bullet proof vehicles of the BSF near Tuilenphai. He said although they are fighting the BSF, they have no interest whatsoever in the ensuing Indian elections. Mishra said he has also heard of the reports of the damaged vehicles but has not been able to confirm it from any authoritative source as he was unable to establish contact with the BSF forward posts. The Churachandpur police, when contacted, was not even aware of the ongoing Fight.