Manipur cop shot dead; convoy of reinforcements ambushed, 3 injured

At least three Manipur Police personnel suffered bullet injuries after armed militants ambushed their convoy near Sinam along Imphal-Moreh NH-102 in Tengnoupal district on Tuesday (October 31, police said.

The three were part of additional forces sent as reinforcement to Moreh town for operations following the killing of Moreh SDPO Chingtham Anand by militants at the border town earlier in the day.

Sniper attack

The sub-divisional police officer, a resident of Imphal’s Haobam Marak locality, was killed in a sniper attack while he was on duty overseeing the cleaning of the grounds of Eastern Shine School for the construction of a helipad jointly by the police and BSF, officials said.

He was taken to a primary health centre in Moreh where he succumbed to injuries, they said.

Within minutes, the state Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Biren Singh and announced a relief of Rs 50 lakh to the kin of Anand and to provide a suitable government employment to the next of the kin of the slain police officer.

The state government also recommended declaring the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) as a banned group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

“In view of today’s incident leading to killing of a senior police officer, the Cabinet therefore approved to recommend for declaration of the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC), as an unlawful association/organization under section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967,” an official release said.

However, the state government’s recommendation has to be confirmed by the Centre, which is the deciding authority on declaring an organisation as unlawful under the UAPA.

Protests erupt

Chingtham’s body was brought to Imphal in a chopper and post-mortem was conducted at Jawaharalal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences. However, a joint action committee formed in protest against his killing has decided not to take his body till the culprits are arrested.

In the meantime, the convoy of policemen sent as reinforcements was ambushed as well. The injured were safely evacuated to Imphal for treatment. The condition of the one of them is serious, officials said.

Hundreds of locals and those sheltered in relief camps took out a rally at Singjamei in Imphal West district in protest against the killing of Chingtham.

The Manipur Cabinet, in its meeting, noted that WKZIC had issued a press release on October 24 calling upon the Kuki-Zo community to have “sufficient stock” of arms and ammunition as it will “face another war” in November before the harvesting season.

The group also informed that youth volunteers would be the ones going to face the “war” on the frontlines and the Kuki National army and underground groups won’t be able to join the “war” freely in view of SOO agreement, the state government release said.

The group had further informed that its national volunteers shall be equipped with the best arms and, if required, unlimited ammunition will be supplied. The Manipur Cabinet noted that an FIR was already lodged against the organisation on Monday.

Joint operation

The Cabinet also decided to instruct the security forces to “launch a joint operation in Moreh and its adjoining areas to arrest the culprits responsible for the crime” and “noted that additional state forces have been detailed from Imphal for the purpose. The operations have since started”.

The Cabinet instructed central and state forces to ensure free movement of vehicles on the Pallel-Moreh road NH-102, which connects Imphal valley with the border town, a distance of around 110 km.

Manipur has been on the boil since May 3, when ethnic clashes broke out between the Meiteis and the Kukis. More than 180 people have lost their lives in the violence.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

(With agency inputs)