Gunfights, IED fuel fears over security in Manipur. Situation ‘stable’, says military officer

Assam Rifles jawan sustained minor injury while diffusing IED in Bishnupur district Friday, it is learnt. Manipur policeman was killed and 2 injured in gunfight the previous day.

An arson during the violence that erupted in Manipur earlier this month | By special arrangement

KARISHMA HASNAT, The Print, 12 May, 2023, Guwahati: Gunfights between security forces and “unidentified groups” in Manipur coming in the wake of violence between the state’s ethnic Kuki tribals and non-tribal or Meitei community earlier this month, have led to apprehensions over the security situation in the state and renewed insurgency concerns.

In the wee hours of Friday, an Assam Rifles jawan sustained ‘minor injury’ while diffusing a ‘locally fabricated’ improvised explosive device (IED) in Bishnupur district’s Saiton village, defence sources told ThePrint.

Earlier Thursday, a Manipur police personnel was killed and two others injured in a gunfight which broke out between security forces and an “unidentified group” at Tronglaobi village in south Manipur’s Bishnupur district, sources added.

According to the sources, the commandos were there around 8.30 am Thursday, to follow up on inputs received about the movement of some insurgents in the area. It has not yet been ascertained which group is behind the incident, but sources said the police commando succumbed to injuries caused by an “AK-47 bullet”.

The sources further added that “three people in black dungarees” were seen with weapons in the area. Security forces responded and assisted in evacuation of the injured.

Before that on Wednesday, an Assam Rifles personnel had been injured when unknown miscreants fired upon troops at Dolaithabi in the state’s Imphal East district.

These incidents follow violence between Manipur’s ethnic Kuki tribals and the non-tribal or Meitei community on the night of 3 May.

About 7,000 people had been evacuated from Churachandpur, Tegnoupal and Imphal districts on the night of 3 May and over the following day. In total, about 24,000 people were evacuated from different parts of the state, of which 5,000-5,500 remain in Army shelters and are yet to return home, a defence officer told The Print.

“Army convoys are escorting people from the camps and dropping them at their preferred destinations,” the officer added.

Despite the past three day’s incidents, defence sources said, however, that the situation in both Manipur’s valley areas and hill districts is “stable”, with hundreds of displaced people returning home in the past few days.

‘Pro-active deployment of troops facilitated faster reaction’

Following the 3 May violence, the Army and Assam Rifles were roped in to maintain law and order in the state.

While 2,300 civilians were evacuated from the violence-hit areas of Langol, Lamphel and Mantripukhri within Imphal, another 1,700 were removed from the hill district of Tegnoupal.

In Churachandpur, 4,600 locals were rescued from Khumujamba, Saikot and Mantop Leikai, among other areas. Hundreds were also rescued from Kangpokpi district, said defence sources.

“Rescue operations in internal security situations like these were carefully planned with each column of sufficient strength to thwart any misadventure by inimical elements,” a defence officer from Dimapur told ThePrint.

The officer added: “The pro-active deployment of troops facilitated faster reaction in de-notified areas of Imphal (from where AFSPA has been withdrawn), as also in villages of Churachandpur district where Assam Rifles do not have any Company Operating Base in vicinity.”