Manipur Cop Shot Dead, 3 Injured In Ambush With Militants. Biren Govt Asks Centre To Ban Tribal Group

Manipur News: The police officer, identified as Chingtham Anand, was shot dead when he was overseeing the cleaning of the grounds at Eastern Shine School for the construction of a helipad.

Mortal remains of a Manipur Police officer, Chingtham Anand, being shifted to JNIMS mortuary, who was killed in a fresh onslaught by suspected Kuki militants at conflict-torn Manipur's Moreh, in Tengnoupal district, Tuesday morning, Oct. 31, 2023.

Source : PTI

A senior police officer in Manipur fell victim to a sniper attack and was shot dead by suspected tribal militants in the Tengnoupal district on Tuesday. The incident has prompted the state government to recommend declaring the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) as a banned group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, news agency PTI reported. The officer, identified as Sub-divisional Police Officer Chingtham Anand, hailed from Imphal's Haobam Marak locality.

The attack took place when he was on duty, overseeing the cleaning of the grounds at Eastern Shine School for the construction of a helipad, a project jointly managed by the police and the Border Security Force (BSF).

Anand was quickly transported to a primary health centre in Moreh, but despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries, as per PTI's report.

Furthermore, the situation escalated as armed militants ambushed a convoy of Manipur Police personnel near Sinam, along the Imphal-Moreh NH-102 in Tengnoupal district. Three officers sustained bullet wounds during the ambush, the report stated.

They were among the additional forces sent as reinforcement to Moreh town following the tragic killing of Moreh Sub-Divisional Police Officer Chingtham Anand by militants.

Biren Govt Asks Centre To Ban Tribal Group WKZIC Under UAPA

Following the violence, the Manipur cabinet convened a meeting under the leadership of Chief Minister Biren Singh where they decided on a relief package of Rs 50 lakh for the family of Chingtham Anand. Additionally, they made the decision to provide suitable government employment to the next of kin of the slain police officer.

In light of the incident and the loss of the senior police officer, the Cabinet approved a recommendation for the declaration of the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) as an unlawful association/organisation under Section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, according to an official release.

However, it's important to note that the state government's recommendation must be confirmed by the Centre, which holds the authority to declare an organisation as unlawful under the UAPA.

The Manipur cabinet, in its meeting, acknowledged that the WKZIC had issued a press release on October 24, urging the Kuki-Zo community to stockpile arms and ammunition as they anticipated another conflict in November, just before the harvesting season. The group had announced that youth volunteers would take on frontline roles in this anticipated conflict, as the Kuki National army and underground groups wouldn't have the freedom to join the war due to the Suspension of Operations (SOO) agreement, as per the state government release.

The group had also asserted that its national volunteers would be equipped with the best arms and that unlimited ammunition would be supplied if necessary. Notably, an FIR had already been lodged against the organisation on the previous day, the cabinet noted.

The Manipur cabinet also decided to instruct security forces to conduct a joint operation in Moreh and its surrounding areas with the objective of arresting those responsible for the crime. Additional state forces were dispatched from Imphal for this purpose, and the operations have since been initiated.

Furthermore, the cabinet instructed both central and state forces to ensure the free movement of vehicles on the Pallel-Moreh road NH-102, which serves as a vital link between Imphal valley and the border town. This road covers a distance of approximately 110 km, PTI reported.

The state of Manipur has been grappling with tensions since May 3 when ethnic clashes erupted between the Meiteis and the Kukis, resulting in over 180 casualties. The Meiteis constitute about 53 per cent of Manipur's population, primarily residing in the Imphal Valley, while the tribals, encompassing Nagas and Kukis, make up 40 per cent of the population and primarily inhabit the hill districts.

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