Curfew relaxation revoked after mob tries to grab arms in Imphal

Curfew relaxations in the two districts of Imphal were withdrawn on Wednesday following attempts by a mob to procure arms from a police complex, a day after a senior Manipur Police officer was killed in a sniper attack by suspected militants close to Myanmar border in Moreh town.

The situation in Meitei-dominated Imphal has remained tense since Tuesday when Moreh sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Chingtham Anand Kumar, also from the community, was killed and three constables of a reinforcement team sustained bullet injuries in two separate attacks by suspected tribal militants in the border town, 110 km from the capital city.

On Wednesday, a mob surrounded the 1st battalion complex of Manipur Rifles in Imphal West district, demanding arms. Police and security personnel resorted to firing several rounds in the air to disperse the mob, officers said. Sounds of gunfire were heard in Imphal for several hours after the incident.

Though there was no official statement from security forces or police, people aware of the matter said no arms were looted and no one was hurt in the incident.

Read Here: Fresh violence reported in Imphal West, two houses torched

Following the incident, however, curfew relaxations — from 5 am to 10 pm — in both Imphal West and Imphal East districts were withdrawn. “Due to the developing law and order situation in the district, the curfew relaxation order stands cancelled,” read the order issued by N Johnson Meitei, additional district magistrate of Imphal West.

A similar order by Shamim Ahmed Shah, additional district magistrate of Imphal East, stated the curfew relaxation orders were withdrawn with immediate effect from 6.15 pm on Wednesday.

The movement of people associated with essential services, courts, as well as passengers travelling to and from airport and media personnel were exempted from purview of the curfew.

Meanwhile, state security advisor Kuldiep Singh informed that the person who shot the police officer and the group responsible for the attack on the reinforcement team in Moreh have been identified. “Investigation is underway,” the former CRPF chief added.

Security forces on Wednesday detained 44 people, including at least 32 Myanmar nationals, for questioning during a cordon and search operation in Moreh in Kuki-dominated Tengnoupal district. “Police are probing their role. Details will be shared soon,” an official said, declining to be named.

Earlier, the state government had rushed additional forces to Moreh. “A combined team of security forces have already started joint combing operations (at Moreh) to nab the culprits involved in the cowardly act,” chief minister N Biren Singh said on Wednesday in Imphal while paying tributes to the slain officer.

Read Here: Myanmar nationals among people detained in Manipur day after policeman’s killing

Kuki groups, however, alleged that the additional state police forces were involved in arson and detained several innocent people. The Kuki Students Organisation also declared a 48-hour shutdown in the community-dominated areas across the northeastern state from Wednesday midnight in protest—the move was endorsed by other Kuki-Zo groups in the state.

“The junta-like trigger happy police commandoes ransacked, looted and burned down houses and vehicles belonging to Kuki-Zo people at Sinam village stretching along the Indo-Myanmar road in Tengnoupal district,” read a release issued by Kuki Students Organisation on Wednesday.

At least 178 people have been killed and nearly 50,000 displaced in Manipur since May 3, when ethnic clashes erupted between numerically dominant Meitei and tribal Kuki communities.

(With inputs from Prawesh Lama in Delhi)