Two soldiers were killed in a suspected militant attack in Manipur’s border town Moreh on Wednesday, January 17. A soldier of the Indian Reserve Battalion, whose name is Somarjit, was a resident of Malom in Imphal West.
A state police personnel has also been killed. The deceased has been identified as Havildar Takhelambam Saileshwor of Lamshang Akham, who has not been airlifted yet.
The situation remains tense in Moreh. The incident comes two days after police arrested two persons from Moreh in connection with the death of a police officer in October last year. Philip Khaikholal Khongsai and Hemkholal Mate have been sent to police custody for nine days.
After the arrest, the situation in the area deteriorated. The mob reportedly gathered at the police station and started demanding the release of the detained accused.
Additionally, sources in the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) told The Quint that commandos burned Mount Moreh School and a woman was run over by a security forces vehicle. The Quint has not yet been able to independently verify this claim.
Manipur government sought help from Home Ministry
In view of the tension, the state government imposed complete curfew in the area on Tuesday, January 16. It has also requested the Home Ministry for helicopters, citing “continuous exchange of fire between state police commandos and armed miscreants in the border town of Moreh”.
According to the letter from Manipur Commissioner (Home) T Ranjit Singh, “The law and order situation in the border town of Moreh has become a matter of serious concern… Given the current situation, the situation in Moreh may worsen, [A] medical emergency may arise at any time. The police department has also informed that there is a need to airlift security personnel, ammunition etc. to Moreh.”
Earlier this month, seven security personnel – five from Manipur Police and two from the Border Security Force – were injured in a suspected terrorist attack in the border town of Moreh in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district.
