Imphal. Even after one and a half years since the caste violence started in Manipur, all efforts to restore peace seem to be failing. Fresh violence has spread after the peace talks between Kuki, Meiti and Naga groups in Delhi and the discussion on the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. On Monday, Kuki militants reached the local police station and attacked the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) post. In retaliation, security forces killed 10 suspected militants. A CRPF jawan has also been injured in this encounter, who is being treated in Silchar, Assam. Apart from this, there is news of five local people being kidnapped.
The incident took place around 2.30 pm on Monday, when a large number of militants attacked the local police station and CRPF post in Jakurador Karong area of Borobekera in Jiribam district. This area is adjacent to the Assam border. Near the police station where the militants had come to attack, there is a relief camp for people displaced by the Manipur violence.
It is believed that the people living in the relief camp are the targets of Kuki militants. The camp has been attacked before. However, after this encounter, as a precautionary measure, security was increased in this area and curfew has been imposed till further orders. According to officials, the militants were wearing uniforms like soldiers. They had modern weapons and ammunition. The bodies of the killed militants were kept at Borobekera Police Station.
According to informed sources, after attacking the police station, the militants ran towards a small settlement in Jakurador Karong, a kilometer away from the police station, and started setting fire to houses. During this time they kept firing on the security forces. It is also reported that five local people of the village went missing. It is believed that the militants have kidnapped them. On Monday itself, militants fired from a hill on farmers working in the fields in Yaingangpokpi Shantikhongban area of Manipur. One farmer died in this firing, while some other farmers were injured.
Police have said that the militants in this area have been firing from the hills to the lower areas for three consecutive days. Farmers working in the fields are being targeted. Because harvesting of paddy crop is going on here. Due to the attacks, farmers are afraid to go to the fields. Meanwhile, Assam Rifles on Monday said that security forces have seized a huge cache of arms, ammunition and IEDs during search operations in the hill and valley districts of Manipur in the last three days.