Two CRPF officers killed by militants in Manipur clashes

Sub-inspector and head constable killed in pre-meditated attack on CRPF post in Manipur. Over a dozen militants involved, no group identified.

A sub-inspector and a head constable were killed in an attack on a post of the Central Reserve Police Force in Bishnupur district of strife-torn Manipur early on Saturday morning, officials said, in the first such targeting of a central force in almost a year.

Two CRPF officers killed by militantsin Manipur clashes

Over a dozen unidentified attackers first hurled grenades at the CRPF post shortly after midnight, and followed it up with a barrage of bullets, officials familiar with the matter said, describing the incident as a “pre-meditated attack”.

“There was no electricity in the area at the time of the incident, so the security personnel were caught unaware. It looks like the attack was targeted and premeditated because multiple grenades were thrown and then firing happened continuously,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

“It looks like there were more than a dozen militants who launched the attack,” he said, adding that no group was identified for carrying out the attack.

Two other jawans of the B company of CRPF’s 128 Battalion deployed at the post, about 5km west of Moirang police station, were also injured in the attack. The two, identified as inspector Jadav Das (52) and constable Aftab Hussain (37), were rushed to the Bishnupur District hospital, and later referred to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal.

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The post-mortem examination of the deceased personnel, identified as sub-inspector N Sarkar (55) and head constable Arup Saini (30), was also conducted at RIMS.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Manipur security advisor Kuldiep Singh said, “Operation is going and it wouldn’t be proper to divulge the way we’re conducting the operation and the way we’re investigating.”

Singh added that the culprits behind the attack will soon be identified and will “have to pay for it as per law of the land”.

Manipur police did not comment on whether the attack was the handiwork of the Meiteis or the Kukis.

The Meitei Heritage Society said Kuki militants were behind the attack, while the umbrella Kuki body ITLF said that Meitei militants had attacked the security forces.

ITLF also denied reports of police officials saying Kuki militants were responsible.

In a separate incident, a gunfight broke out between clashing groups in the Sangolmang area of Imphal East at the time of the Bishnupur attack. A 32-year-old man died in the gunfight, officials aware of the matter said.

Manipur has been in the throes of a violent conflict for nearly a year. What began as an ethnic conflict on May 3 last year, between the majority Meiteis who reside in the Imphal valley and the tribal Kukis, has grown into seemingly irreconcilable cleavages within Manipuri society. At least 220 people have been killed and 50,000 people displaced, while armed militia prowl the streets.