Attack on security forces triggers heavy gunbattle in Manipur, reinforcements blocked

Guwahati: The ongoing efforts to bring in normalcy in ethnic-strife torn Manipur received another setback on Friday when heavy firing broke out in Molnoi near Pallel in Tengnoupal district.

Informing that the armed assailants hiding in a jungle fired at security forces around 6 am security sources said “As the gunfight continued in Molnoi, reinforcements were on their way to the area. Their movement was blocked by Meira Paibis--Meitei women vigilantes.

Admitting that identity of armed groups was not known, security sources claimed that armed rebel groups based in Imphal Valley are suspected to have been involved in firing.

It is significant that fresh violence erupted last week. On August 29, and August 31, clashes between tribal Kukis and dominant Meiteis had left at least eight people dead and over two dozen, including three India Reserve Battalion personnel, wounded.

A curfew was imposed in five districts of Manipur on Tuesday following the call of the women’s wing of a collective of Meitei groups for a march for the removal of a security barricade at Phougakchao Ikhai village.

COCOMI, the collective, has sought Assam Rifles’s removal from Manipur accusing that the force was biased. Meitei women groups have held a series of protests against the force.

Last month, Assam Rifles sent a legal notice to a Manipuri leader for his alleged remarks accusing the force of siding with Kuki militants during the clashes with Meiteis. The Manipur Police filed a first information report accusing the Assam Rifles of stopping them from pursuing Kuki militants across a buffer zone.

The Assam Rifles however asserted that its troops were only following the buffer zone guidelines in place to restore normalcy. It also filed a sedition case against COCOMI for allegedly discouraging the return of weapons stolen from police armouries.

The central forces are posted in the buffer zones or areas adjoining the foothills to ensure that armed people from both the Kukis and Meitei sides do not cross them to launch attacks.

Central forces have been directed against allowing even state police to cross the buffer zones without taking them along. The directive was issued against the backdrop of allegations of bias against the state police.