At Least 33 Militants Gunned Down By Security Forces: Manipur CM Biren Singh

Army Chief General Manoj Pande returns to Delhi after his 2-day Manipur visit. Union Home Minister Amit Shah arriving Monday.

Guwahati: At least 33 militants, belonging to different underground groups, have been so far gunned down by security forces in strife-torn Manipur, during the ongoing combing operations to control the large-scale and sporadic incidents of violence in the northeastern state.

Addressing the media in capital Imphal, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said: “At least 33 militants have been killed so far by the security forces during their operations to check violent incidents and attacks on civilians.”

The CM issued the statement even as the Indian Army is engaged in a combing operation in the state to control the incidents of violence.

The Indian Army launched the combing operation when Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Pande was present in Manipur for a two-day visit.

A number of encounters broke out between the security forces and the militants in different parts of the state on Sunday.

Speaking to the media, CM Biren Singh categorically said the latest round of killings was not a result of clashes between any rival communities but between the security forces and Kuki militants.

“The gun battle that ensued today was between the security forces and the militants, and not between any communities. So I urge the common people to maintain peace and stay united,” he added.

Several incidents of arson had been reported from across the state since Sunday morning.  

Unidentified miscreants vandalised the house and set on fire two cars of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Khwairakpam Raghumani Singh in the Imphal West district on Sunday morning.

Clashes also broke out at several places in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley early Sunday morning.  

Reports of indiscriminate firing have also been reported from various places like Sugnu in Kakching, Kangvi in Churachandpur, Kangchup in Imphal West, Sagolmang in Imphal East, Yangoupokpi in Bishenpur, Khurkhul in Imphal West and YKPI in Kangpokpi since Sunday morning.  

Army Chief Reviews Situation, Amit Shah Coming On Monday

Army Chief General Manoj Pande was on a two-day visit to the violence-torn state to review the situation. He was accompanied by Eastern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Rana Pratap Kalita.

During his visit, the Army Chief and Lt. Gen. Kalita met the ground commanders, including those from other forces, and reviewed the law and order situation in the trouble-torn state.

The Army Chief returned to Delhi Sunday evening while Lt. Gen. Kalita stayed back in Manipur as Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state is scheduled to begin from May 29.

Violence erupted in Manipur on May 3 during a “tribal solidarity march” in protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status.

Tension had been already simmering in the wake of the eviction of Kuki villagers from the reserve forest lands.

The violence started immediately after a high court order recommended a push for granting ST status to the Meiteis, a majority community in the state.

Since the outbreak of the violent ethnic clashes on May 3, at least 75 people have lost their lives, while over 230 people have been injured.

On the other hand, more than 1,700 houses have been torched by miscreants, rendering over 35,000 people homeless.  

Owing to the internal security situation in Manipur, the state administration had requisitioned the Indian Army and Assam Rifles on May 3, 2023.

As an immediate response, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles immediately deployed 135 columns to defuse the situation by carrying out active domination of sensitive and fringe areas.

At present, around 140 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, comprising over 10,000 personnel, besides those from other paramilitary forces, have been deployed to bring back normalcy.