Imphal: The Home Ministry of India deployed 20 additional Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies, approximately 2,000 personnel, to Manipur to address growing violence, sources confirmed to Decan Chronicle. Late Tuesday night, orders were issued for immediate airlifting of these units.
This decision follows an encounter on Monday in which 12 suspected insurgents were killed by the CRPF after armed attackers in camouflage fired upon Borobekra police station and a CRPF camp in Jiribam district’s Jakuradhor area. A large number of advanced weapons were seized after the clash.
On Wednesday, armed miscreants set fire to two trucks carrying essential goods on National Highway 37 in Manipur’s Tamenglong district. The trucks were attacked around 4am between the Kuki villages of Lhangnom and Old Kaiphundai under Tousem police station.
Eight trucks transporting rice, onions, and potatoes were en route to Noney when unknown gunmen stopped them and set two trucks ablaze, while the other six escaped. Police are still investigating the identity of the attackers.
The Rongmei Naga Students’ Organisation Manipur (RNSOM) claimed in a statement that the trucks were fired upon with automatic rifles before being torched and subsequently declared a boycott on supplies to the Kuki community in two districts, blaming the incident on Kuki militants. They cited “irresponsible and violent” actions by Kukis as a threat to peace in Naga areas.
RNSOM noted that this was the second recent attack on vehicles on NH 37, which, along with NH 2, connects Manipur with the rest of India. On April 16, suspected Kuki militants ambushed LPG and oil tankers along the highway, injuring one person.
The Rongmei community has consistently requested Jiribam police to permit uninterrupted travel for all vehicles on NH 37, a request that has been accommodated and valued even without security escorts.
