Joint combing ops by forces on after militant attack in Manipur

Imphal : Security forces continued their joint combing operations on Monday in Manipur’s Kangpokpi and Imphal West district, where suspected Kuki militants killed two people including a woman, injured ten others and burnt many abandoned houses at Koutruk and neighbouring Kadangband villages.

A police officer said that combing operations and area domination marches were being conducted by the central and state security forces in both the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts.

So far no one has been arrested in connection with Sunday's attack.

The officer said that the militants on Sunday attacked the unarmed villagers using drones, bombs and many sophisticated weapons.

He said that Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and Manipur Police Commandos launched a combing operation in Imphal West and adjoining Kangpokpi districts immediately after the militants gunned down two persons, including a 32-year-old woman and shot at ten others, including the slain woman’s 8-year-old daughter.

He said that as the villagers fled to safer places, the guerrillas dropped several powerful bombs using drones.

Police said that two police personnel, a local TV journalist, who was covering the incident at Koutruk, were hit by the bombs.

An outpost of the Manipur armed police, set up for the protection of the villagers from attacks by extremists, was burnt down by Kuki militants on Sunday.

The non-tribal Meitei community dominated Koutruk village is located around 16 km from the state capital Imphal.

The village, which is surrounded by Kuki community people has witnessed many attacks since ethnic violence started in Manipur on May 3 last year.

After a lull of many weeks, Sunday’s militant attacks caused widespread panic among the Meitei community people, while men, women, children and elderly people fled to safer locations.

Immediately after the attack on Sunday, Manipur Director General of Police, Rajiv Singh, sent urgent messages to the Superintendents of Police of all 16 districts and directed them to remain on maximum alert and vigilant in all areas including the fringe areas.

“All forces deployed in their areas must also be alerted. There must be proper coordination between the forces deployed in order to prevent any untoward incident. Joint combing operations must be conducted,” said the order, which also asked the senior police officials to monitor the situation closely.

A Home Department statement said that such attacks on unarmed villagers were viewed very seriously by the government when the Manipur government is making all possible efforts towards bringing normalcy and peace in the state.

Noting that such an act of creating havoc among the unarmed villagers is seen as an attempt to derail the efforts taken by the state government to establish peace in the state, the statement said.

A Manipur Police statement said that in an unprecedented attack in Koutruk village, Kuki militants deployed numerous Rocket Propelled Grenades using high-tech drones.

“While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfare, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and the civilians marks a significant escalation. The involvement of highly-trained professionals, possibly with technical expertise and support, cannot be ruled out,” the statement said.

It said that the authorities were closely monitoring the situation, and the police were prepared to respond to any contingency that may arise.

Police appealed to the general public to maintain restraint. Combing operations are going on to flush out any inimical elements, the statement added.