Manipur Violence: Five civilians were killed and three Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were injured on Thursday, January 18, in the latest violence that broke out in the eastern state of Manipur. A day before this, two police personnel were killed and six others were injured in an attack by armed insurgents in Tengnoupal on Wednesday (January 17) morning, taking the death toll in two days to seven and nine injured. Went.
Violent protests took place in many parts of the state on January 18. Security personnel and the administration are struggling to control the violence that has been going on for eight months.
According to NDTV, Bishnupur SP Meghchandra Singh said that armed miscreants killed four people, all of whom were Meiteis, in Ningthong Kha Khunau in the district around 2 pm on Thursday.
The deceased have been identified as Ningthoujam Nabadip (40), Oinam Bamonjao (63), Oinam Manitomba (37) and Thiam Somen (56).
Meghchandra Singh, Superintendent of Police Bishnupur said, “Four people died in an attack by armed miscreants on Thursday afternoon. We have managed to recover all the bodies and have sent them to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal for postmortem and other formalities.”
When did the attack happen?
The four killed were reportedly plowing a field when they were attacked and following the deaths, protests broke out at several places in parts of the Imphal Valley. In a separate incident in the morning, there was an exchange of fire between armed rural volunteers in Kangchup in Imphal West district, where 23-year-old Meitei Takhelambam Manoranjan was killed.
Thursday’s incidents come after Wednesday night’s violent incident when three BSF personnel were shot and injured after a mob attacked security forces and police establishments in Thoubal.
What did the police say?
“An angry mob targeted the 3rd Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) at Khangabok in Thoubal district. Security forces dispersed them using force,” said a statement issued by Manipur Police around 1 am on Thursday.
The statement said that the mob tried to break into the Thoubal police headquarters and armed miscreants from among the crowd opened fire.
As a result, three BSF personnel Constable Gaurav Kumar, ASI Sobram Singh and ASI Ramji were injured by the bullets. The injured security forces have been taken to Raj Medicity for treatment. After the attack, complete curfew was imposed in Thoubal, Statement issued by Manipur Police.
Administration imposed curfew, asked for a helicopter from MHA
Officials said the attack was a reaction to incidents on Wednesday morning, when two police commandos, both Meiteis, were killed and six others injured in an RPG attack by armed militants in Moreh, bordering Myanmar.
In view of the deteriorating law and order situation in the district, complete curfew was imposed from Tuesday, with the Manipur government also seeking a helicopter from the Union Home Ministry to airlift security personnel and ammunition to Moreh.
‘Increased stress is a cause of worry’
Kuldeep Singh, security advisor to the Manipur government, acknowledged that the increased tension is a cause for concern, adding that security forces have been put on alert across the state.
Kuldeep Singh, Security Advisor, Government of Manipur said, “The forces are trying to toughen things up but somehow Kuki terrorists are playing an active role in targeting innocent civilians and security forces.”
Violence continues for eight months
Since May 2023, Manipur has been in the grip of ethnic violence between the majority Meitei community and the tribal Kukis, with other communities increasingly joining the violence which continues unabated.
At least 207 people have died and more than 50,000 have been displaced in the last eight months.
Security forces have created buffer zones in various border districts, which have also been divided on ethnic lines.
They have also set up camps and are deployed on the highway to ensure that the groups remain separated, do not enter each other’s districts and do not incite violence.
According to security officials, terrorists of both the groups often use the hills and forest areas to enter other districts and attack each other.
