Seven Manipur police commandos, BSF jawan injured in militant attack in Moreh

Guwahati: A day after four men were killed and five injured, at least seven police commandos including a BSF jawan were injured in an attack by militants in Manipur's Moreh on Tuesday morning.

Five among the injured have been shifted to Regional Institute of Medical Science in Imphal for treatment.

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh who visited the hospital to see the injured security personnel said that mercenaries of Kuki National Army (B) from Myanmar side are suspected to have been involved in the attacks.  

Informing that security forces were attacked when they were carrying out a joint search operation in areas bordering Myanmar, the chief minister said that state authorities are in touch with the ministry of home affairs and additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area bordering Myanmar.

Security sources said that militants also fired upon the helicopter that went to evacuate the injured security personnel who were initially taken to Assam Rifle hospital in Moreh. The incident has triggered angry protests in Imphal where civilians took out a protest march and shouted slogans.

The incident has come a day after four men were killed and five others sustained critical bullet injuries in the state's Thoubal district, prompting the Manipur government to tighten curfew in the restive state where nearly 200 people lost their lives in ethnic violence last year.

Earlier in a video message, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh condemned the violence, and appealed to the people, particularly the residents of Lilong, to maintain peace.

“Police are working to arrest those behind the attack. They will be arrested soon and punished as per the law,” he said.

Meanwhile the situation in minority-dominated Lilong Chingjao area in Manipur's Thoubal district, where four villagers were gunned down by unidentified assailants, remained calm but tense on Tuesday as additional security forces were deployed in the area.

It is significant that unidentified gunmen in camouflage uniforms on Monday night  descended on Lilong Chingjao to 'extort money' from a person, leading to an altercation. While they were being chased away by locals, the gunmen opened indiscriminate fire leading to the casualties, security sources said.

“After the incident, tension was high on Monday night but holding of an inter-faith meeting by civil society leaders and Lilong MLA Abdul Nasir and chief minister N Biren Singh's assurance that the culprits will be arrested and punished as per the law defused the situation,” security sources said.

Security sources said that additional security forces have been deployed in the area and vehicular patrolling has been increased to prevent any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, with curfew being imposed in five districts of Imphal Valley in view of the "prevailing law and order situation," few vehicles were seen plying roads as most commercial establishments remained closed.

The deceased, whose bodies were brought to Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal for post-mortem examination, were identified as Md Daulat (30), M Sirajuddin (50), Md Azad Khan (40) and Md Hussain (22), security sources said.

Ten others were injured in the incident and are currently undergoing treatment at another hospital in Imphal. Four of them received gunshot wounds, and of the four, two are in ICU while two others are under observation of doctors, he said.

After the attack, enraged locals set fire to four vehicles in which the attackers had arrived. It was not immediately clear to whom those belong.

After the violence curfew has been clamped in Thoubal, Imphal East and Imphal West, Kakching and Bishnupur districts.