- Combined forces launched cordon and search operations in vulnerable areas of Manipur districts
- Strict security measures and checkpoints established to monitor movement and prevent incidents
- Three Kuki patients were shifted from RIMS hospital after public protests and government assurance
In a coordinated security effort, combined security forces have launched extensive cordon and search operations, area domination exercises, and combing operations in the fringe and vulnerable areas of Manipur's Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, and Thoubal districts.
According to the official sources, strict security measures have been put in place across the affected regions. Multiple nakas and checkpoints have been established at strategic locations to monitor movement and prevent any untoward incidents.
The operations are being carried out on a large scale amid recent incidents of killings and armed activities between communities. The Director General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Singh is personally overseeing the security operations in areas that have witnessed a surge in violence in recent weeks.
Security agencies stated that the intensified operations aim to maintain law and order, ensure public safety, and prevent further escalation of tensions in the state.
3 Kuki Patients Shifted From RIMS Following Public Protests, Taken Back To Kuki-Dominated Churachandpur
In an important development, the three Kuki patients who had been undergoing treatment at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal were shifted out of the hospital late Tuesday night following sustained public protests and repeated demands from civil society groups. Earlier, the state government had assured protest representatives that the patients would be transferred from RIMS.
The issue had triggered widespread demonstrations at the hospital premises over the past two days, with protesters demanding the removal of the patients and seeking clarification from the government regarding their identities and alleged affiliations. Security forces had earlier used tear gas to disperse demonstrators as tensions escalated around the hospital campus.
Meanwhile, conflicting claims have emerged over a June 16 security operation in Manipur's Henglep Sub-Division, with the Assam Rifles maintaining that a suspected militant was killed in an encounter, while Henglep MLA Letzamang Haokip has alleged that the deceased was an unarmed civilian and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
The controversy intensified after the Police Control Room (PCR) issued a clarification on Wednesday based on information received from the Assam Rifles. According to the PCR, a joint column of the Assam Rifles and the army came under engagement with suspected militants between Molphei and Songkong villages on June 16.
The security forces' version stated that one suspected militant was killed during the encounter. The PCR further said that security personnel recovered one AK-47 rifle, magazines, ammunition, explosives and other incriminating items from the site. A criminal case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, police said.
However, the official account has been strongly contested by Henglep MLA Letzamang Haokip, who issued a statement condemning what he described as the killing of a civilian identified as Lenminsang, son of Lenkhogin Haokip, at North Songkong village.
Calling the incident "shocking" and "deeply disturbing", the legislator alleged that a civilian had lost his life at the hands of those entrusted with public protection. He argued that the incident had raised serious questions about accountability and public trust in security operations.
Adding to the controversy, Haokip cited allegations made by eyewitnesses who claimed that after the victim was shot, his clothes were removed and his body was taken away by the joint security forces. The MLA further referred to allegations that attempts were subsequently made to portray the death as an encounter involving a militant.
"If these allegations are found to be true, it would constitute a grave abuse of authority and a serious violation of the rule of law," Haokip said, demanding an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation.
The legislator also expressed concern over what he described as the failure to return the mortal remains of the deceased to his family. He called for the immediate recovery and handover of the body, a judicial and independent inquiry into the incident, and stringent action against anyone found responsible for concealing facts or misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding the death.
While security agencies maintain that the operation resulted in the neutralisation of an armed militant and the recovery of weapons and explosives, the MLA's statement has intensified calls for an independent verification of the circumstances leading to the death.
The incident has now become the subject of competing narratives, with the security forces describing it as a successful counter-insurgency operation and the local legislator alleging the killing of a civilian. As investigations continue, authorities are expected to examine the identity of the deceased, the circumstances of the operation and the allegations raised by local residents and the MLA.
Police have stated that the case remains under investigation and that further details will emerge as the inquiry progresses.
