8-month-old among 6 Meiteis abducted, Kuki militants burn 2 alive: Why Manipur is burning again

Courtesy: Manipur Police

Armed Kuki militants abducted three women and three children, including an eight-month-old baby, and burnt to death two elderly persons on Monday during an encounter with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police. All six were abducted from a camp for displaced people in Jiribam.

The Manipur government is in touch with all stakeholders to secure the release of six Meiteis. Tension has been high in Manipur since last week due to a fresh round of violence in Jiribam.

Notably, local Kuki bodies are demanding withdrawal of the CRPF from Kuki areas.

The abducted persons were part of a group of 13 Meiteis who were displaced from their homes in June and were living in the vicinity of the CRPF camp. The group used to sleep in temporary sheds near the camp as they feared being attacked.

At least 10 suspected militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with the CRPF on Monday after insurgents in camouflage uniforms, armed with sophisticated weapons, fired indiscriminately at the Borobekra police station and the adjacent CRPF camp at Jakuradhor in Jiribam district.

Search operations and area domination were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts.Movement of 02 nos. of vehicles carrying essential items along NH-2 has been ensured. Strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable pic.twitter.com/NtyOraoP3j
Manipur Police (@manipur_police) November 12, 2024

The militants also set fire to several shops and houses around Jakurador Karong market, Borobekra police station.

The Kuki-Zo Council had declared a total shutdown from 5 am to 6 pm on Tuesday in solidarity with those killed in the gunfight. The Council condemned the attacks and called for justice for the victims, many of whom were reportedly Kuki-Zo Village volunteers.

Following the Monday incident, fresh violence was reported from multiple places in Imphal Valley where armed groups from the two warring sides engaged in exchange of fire.

The Centre has ordered 20 fresh Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) companies to be rushed to Manipur including 15 from the CRPF and five from the Border Security Force (BSF).