Attack on Manipur cops, search on to nab rebels: Team to apprise leaders in Delhi of situation

Imphal, Jan 1 (IANS) The security forces on Monday continued their search to nab the suspected Kuki militants, who attacked Manipur Police commandos on Saturday and Sunday, injuring five personnel seriously. 

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh also expressed concern over the attacks on the forces and said that a delegation would soon go to Delhi to apprise the central leaders on the prevailing situation in the state.

A senior police officer said that additional security forces have been deployed in Moreh and adjoining areas in the state’s Tengnoupal district, along Myanmar and the state and the central forces continued their combing operations to nab the suspected Kuki militants.

The injured personnel -- Diliangam Kamson, M Priyokumar, N Borjao, M Sunil and Ponkhalung -- were given first aid at the Assam Rifles camp in Moreh and then brought to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, the officer said.

Several tribal organisations alleged that many houses of Kuki-Zo tribals were burnt down by the attackers in Moreh area since Saturday.

The Manipur Chief Minister, posting his statement on X, said, “The unprecedented attacks against the state forces in the recent times have become a serious national security threat. While the state and central security forces are actively engaged in maintaining control over the situation, it is also imperative for the combined security forces to adopt a robust and comprehensive approach to deal with these elements, who are relentlessly attempting to destabilise the state of Manipur.”

Singh added, “Joined a high-level meeting in presence of A Sharda Devi, President, BJP Manipur Pradesh, Hon’ble Ministers, Hon’ble MLAs and party karyakartas to deliberate on a stringent approach to deal with elements who are hell-bent upon destabilising Manipur.”

A delegation will also be going to Delhi soon to meet the central leaders in this regard, he added.

Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey and Chief Minister have extended their greetings to the people of Manipur on New Year 2024 while appealing for a collective effort to restore peace and normalcy in the state.

“New Year's Day is for making new resolutions. As we enter 2024, let us all resolve to work together for creating harmony and perfect peace in all parts of Manipur during the coming year,” the governor said in her message.

She said unfortunately, Manipur has been passing through a difficult situation for the last more than seven months due to an unprecedented ethnic clash that broke out on May 3 last year.

Let us all try to resolve this issue collectively to bring normalcy to maintain our age-old tradition of peaceful co-existence, the governor wished.

The Chief Minister said that the eight-month-long ethnic violence in the state had disrupted the fabric of peaceful co-existence among different communities while development works and economic activities slowed down and it was not a good sign for the state.

The Chief Minister, in his New Year's message, said that for nearly eight months now, Manipur has been going through one of the worst phases in its history, with the loss of many precious lives and many others uprooted from their homes.

“The unprecedented ethnic conflict has, directly or indirectly, affected everyone residing in the state. It is high time that we rise together to overcome the barriers and stumbling blocks in our journey towards a better Manipur, where all its people live together peacefully, and harmoniously and get access to the facilities of a developed state,” Singh said.

--IANS

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