Sunday, Sep 08, 2024 23:30 [IST]
Last Update: Saturday, Sep 07, 2024 18:02 [IST]
IMPHAL, (IANS): The Manipur government has pressed into service a military chopper
to conduct aerial patrolling and deployed anti-drone systems to repel the rogue
drones of militants hours after five persons were killed in separate incidents
of violence in the state's Jiribam district on Saturday, officials said.
A senior police officer in Imphal said that suspected
Kuki militants carried out attacks at Nungchappi village in Jiribam district,
killing 63-year-old Yurembam Kulendra Singha, who was sleeping during the
attack.
The militants then continued with the firing in Rasidpur
village, following which the village volunteers retaliated in which
Baspatimayum Lakhi Kumar Sharma (41) was killed. Both Singha and Sharma belong
to the Meitei community.
Security forces led by senior police officials later
rushed to the area, and they were also fired upon. The security personnel also
retaliated befittingly, the official said.
The police officer said that while searching the area,
three bodies of suspected "militants" were found.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), an apex body
of tribals in Manipur, claimed that United National Liberation Front (UNLF)
militants killed four Kuki-Zo village volunteers in Jiribam district on
Saturday.
The police officer, meanwhile, also said that a total of
nine sophisticated arms, including sniper and assault rifles, 21 different
types of ammunition and an equal number of explosives, grenades and a wireless
set were recovered from different places in Bishnupur and Kangpokpi districts.
Intermittent firing continued until noon in several
mountainous villages in Jiribam district, adjoining Assam.
The situation remains extremely tense as Jiribam district
has emerged as the fresh zone of armed hostilities, further escalating the
ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
A huge contingent of Assam Rifles, other Central Armed
Police Force personnel and Manipur police commandos have rushed to all the
places where fresh incidents of violence took place since Saturday morning.
Senior officers are on the ground and closely monitoring
the overall security scenario, while additional forces are deployed in
vulnerable, fringe and in sensitive locations.
An official statement said that the Manipur Police have
also undertaken several other measures and actions and these include,
deployment of sophisticated arms to repel armed miscreants and long range
weapons, social media monitoring cells to check instigators of violence, strong
combined 'Nakas' (check gates) were set up in sensitive areas in Imphal, valley
and in hills to prevent movement of militants and armed cadres.
Manipur Home Department and police personnel have been
analysing the recent attacks to strengthen its manpower with sophisticated
weapons and an updated Anti Drone System.
Meanwhile, the police appealed to the public to cooperate
with security forces in maintaining the law and order situation in the state
and also cautioned that anyone trying to interfere with the functioning of the
security forces, or attempt to loot arms from security would be dealt with
seriously as per law, the statement said.
The Manipur government on Friday ordered the closure of
all educational institutions across the state on Saturday, and asked the
security forces to remain on high alert and also intensify their
counter-insurgency operations, hours after an elderly man was killed while six
others sustained injuries as suspected militants lobbed a powerful bomb at the
house of former Chief Minister Mairembam Koireng in Bishnupur district.
On Friday, a 78-year-old man was killed and six others
sustained injuries as suspected Kuki militants targeted former Chief Minister
Mairembam Koireng's residence in Bishnupur district by lobbing a "powerful
bomb".
According to police, the bomb which was lobbed from a
long range fell on the compound of former Chief Minister Koireng’s residence,
killing the elderly man on the spot. Koireng and his family members were not in
the house during the bomb attack.
The deceased, identified as R.K. Rabei, was preparing for
some local religious ceremony when the bomb exploded. Six others, including a
13-year-old girl, suffered splinter injuries and were shifted to the hospital.
The "powerful bomb", which was detonated
remotely, fell at a spot that is around a few km from the Indian National Army
(INA) headquarters, where on April 14, 1944, Lt Col Shaukat Ali of the INA
hoisted the Tricolour for the first time on Indian soil under the guidance of
INA Supreme Commander Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Combined security forces have destroyed three separate
bunkers at Mualsang and at Laika Mualsau village of Churachandpur district.
Inspector General and Deputy Inspector General rank
police officials have been camping in the tension-ridden districts.