Manipur violence: 2 civilians found dead; 6, including 3 children, missing
The Jiribam district administration had imposed prohibitory orders to avoid any untoward incident in the district after Monday’s militant attack on a CRPF camp
A day after ten suspected armed militants were killed in an encounter with security forces, the bodies of two civilians were found and six others, including three children, were found missing in strife-torn Manipur’s Jiribam district on Tuesday, according to police.
“During a further search after yesterday (Monday)’s incident, bodies of two civilian IDPs (internally displaced person) were found at Jakuradhor village,” inspector general of police (Ops) IK Muivah said during a press briefing at the state police headquarters in Imphal on Tuesday afternoon. “Now police are trying to trace those three missing women and three children.”
The deceased civilians were identified as Maibam Kesho Singh (75) and Laishram Barel (61) both from Modhupur while the missing women are identified as Y Rani Devi (60), T Thoibi Devi (31), L Heitombi Devi (25) and three minor children.
Sharing similar information, inspector general of police (Adm) K Jayenta Singh, who was also present during the press briefing, said, three more civilians were rescued in Jiribam after Monday’s incident.
There were also reports of firing (after Monday’s incident in Jiribam district) at some adjoining areas, he added.
“But now security forces are at maximum alert,” he said while appealing to extend support and cooperation in maintaining law and order.
On Monday, at about 3pm, the Borobreka Police station, where IDPs were stationed, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) post at Jakuradhor in Jiribam district were simultaneously attacked by suspected armed militants with sophisticated weapons, including RPG, the senior police officers said. In the attack, some nearby houses were damaged and burnt down.
The Borobreka police station is located about 30 km south of Jiribam district headquarters while the Jiribam town is located about 220 km away from west of Imphal.
The civil police and CPF retaliated and after 40-45 minutes of exchange of fire, the area was searched and 10 bodies of armed militants were recovered along with 3 AK rifles, 4 SLRs, 2 INSAS rifles, one RPG, one Pump Action gun, Bullet proofs, Helmets and magazines, the officers added.
During the incident, one CRPF constable Sanjeev Kumar sustained a bullet injury and was evacuated to a hospital in Assam, where he is under treatment, they added.
It may be mentioned that the Jiribam district administration had imposed prohibitory orders to avoid any untoward incident in the district after Monday’s incident.
Meanwhile, 13 civil society organisations. including women groups, in Imphal on Tuesday afternoon announced 24 hours’ total shutdown in the state, demanding the government’s immediate intervention to address the present crisis arising out of recent escalation of violence after a woman farmer was shot dead while working in an agricultural field in Bishnupur district. The shutdown came into force from 6pm on Tuesday.