Army JCO abducted by armed men from Thoubal in Manipur; rescued

Indian Army JCO abducted in Manipur's Thoubal district, safely rescued after nine hours. Security forces and Manipur Police are investigating.

Updated on: Mar 8, 2024, 22:48:12 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Guwahati: A serving junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was allegedly abducted by a group of armed men from Thoubal district of strife-torn Manipur on Friday morning and rescued nearly nine hours later.

Manipur has been roiled by ethnic clashes between Meiteis, who are dominant in Imphal Valley, and tribal Kuki-Zo communities since May last year. (PTI/Representative photo)

In a statement, the army later said: “The synergized efforts of the security forces resulted in the JCO being safely rescued at 6:30 PM. The JCO is currently at Waikhong Police Station (near Kakching) in Thoubal district. Manipur Police is investigating the incident.”

According to police officers, the incident took place around 9:30 am at the home of the JCO located at Charangpat. The JCO, identified as Konsam Kheda Singh, is posted outside Manipur and was home on leave.

“The JCO was at his residence when some armed men came and took him away. No one was hurt in the incident, which lasted barely few minutes,” said a senior police officer aware of the details, on condition of anonymity.

Until Friday evening, no group had claimed responsibility for the incident or raised any demand linking it with the officer’s release.

Also Read: Radical outfit Arambai Tengol behind Imphal officer abduction: Manipur Police

Personnel from the state police along with Indian Army and central armed police forces (CAPFs) posted in Manipur have launched an inter-district operation in Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching districts to track and rescue the abducted officer.

Manipur has been roiled by ethnic clashes between Meiteis, who are dominant in Imphal Valley, and tribal Kuki-Zo communities since May last year. The violence has claimed at least 219 lives to date and displaced around 50,000 people.

Also Read: Militants who abducted cop in Manipur booked under UAPA

The violence has affected security forces posted in the state as well. According to government figures, 198 of those killed in violence till date were civilians while the rest are from security forces. Of the 1555 persons injured, 88 belonged to the state police and 28 were from central security forces.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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