Army, para-military forces round up 25 miscreants with arms in Manipur Uneasy calm prevails in state day after spurt in clashes

(PC: @prodefkohima/ Twitter)

PTI, Imphal, May 29, 2023 :  At least 25 miscreants with arms, ammunition and grenades have been rounded up by Indian Army and para-military forces across ethnic-strife riven Manipur, officials said on Monday.

A spokesperson for the defence forces said a number of people were detained with weapons after fresh incidents of firing and clashes broke out in and around Imphal valley.

“During operations in Sansabi, Gwaltabi, Shabunkhol, Khunao in Imphal East, Army apprehended 22 miscreants with weapons and other war like stores. Five 12 bore double barrel rifles, three single barrel rifles, one country made weapon with double bore and one muzzle loaded weapon were recovered,” he said in a statement.

In Imphal city, a mobile check post stopped a car with three passengers on Sunday night, he added.

“On being stopped, the miscreants got down from the car and attempted to flee. All three miscreants were however apprehended by alert troops on ground,” he said.

One INSAS Rifle with magazine, 60 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, one Chinese hand grenade and one detonator were also recovered, he added.

In all 25 miscreants were caught and handed over, along with weapons and ammunitions, to Manipur Police. 

"Swift action by the Army averted loss of precious lives and multiple incidents of arson," the statement said.

The defence PRO also said that Sugnu and Serou villages of Kakching district witnessed violent clashes on Sunday which saw the army intervening to rescue people affected.

"Villagers of both the communities were stranded in pockets under the protection of security forces. In a major evacuation drive organised by Army and Assam Rifles in coordination with the police, state administration and civil society organisations, nearly 2000 Meitei villagers were evacuated from Serou to Pangaltabi relief camp," he added.

While aerial surveillance cover was given by UAVs, mine protected vehicles and area domination patrols were put in place on ground to ensure safe and incident free evacuation, the official said.

"Similarly, nearly 328 Kuki villagers were safely evacuated to Sajik Tampak from Sugnu," he added.

The police had on Sunday said that at least two persons were killed and 12 injured in different instances of firing upon civilians and clashes between militants and security forces.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had said nearly 40 armed militants involved in torching houses and firing at civilians have been killed by security forces since they began an 

operation to bring peace to the northeastern state beset by ethnic rioting.

The latest clashes began after the army and paramilitary forces commenced combing operations to de-arm communities in order to bring peace, officials said.

At Phayeng in Imphal West district, one person died on Sunday and another sustained bullet injuries after being fired at by suspected Kuki militants, the police officials said.

One policeman was killed and another injured at Sugnu in the firing. Six people were also injured at Sugnu and another four at Serou.

The latest incidents of violence have also prompted district authorities to shorten the 11-hour curfew relaxation period in Imphal East and West districts to just six and a half hours.

Ethnic clashes, which have claimed over 75 lives, first broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

Around 140 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, comprising over 10,000 personnel, besides those from other paramilitary forces, had to be deployed to bring back normalcy in the northeastern state.