In the Jiribam district of Manipur, a fierce encounter led to the demise of 11 Kuki militants. Authorities report that these militants, wearing sophisticated camouflage, first attacked the Borobekra Police Station armed with high-tech weapons. They subsequently targeted the CRPF camp in Jakuradhor, only to be effectively countered by security forces. The ensuing chaos prompted the militants to set fire to three to four unoccupied Meitei community homes in Jakuradhor. As tension escalated, the police reported the 'disappearance' of five individuals sheltering at the relief camp, currently under search efforts. Task forces from Assam Rifles, CRPF, and local police are conducting extensive search operations to track down the attackers.
According to police reports, the militants launched a bold assault on the CRPF camp around 3:30 PM, triggering a prolonged exchange of gunfire that lasted approximately 45 minutes. This intense confrontation resulted in injuries to two CRPF personnel, with one in critical condition. Security operations are ongoing in sensitive hilly and valley regions, ensuring the safe passage of essential goods along NH-37 and NH-2, fortified by heightened security measures.
Authorities are ensuring the safe movement of vehicles through strategic dispatch of security convoys across vulnerable regions. A total of 109 checkpoints have been established throughout Manipur's diverse districts, encompassing both hills and valleys.
1. Recovered Weapons
In the aftermath of the raid, the regions of Imphal East and Imphal West experienced outbreaks of violence. Militant attackers arrived heavily armed with contemporary weaponry. Seized from them were 4 SLRs, 3 AK-47s, 2 INSAS rifles, 1 Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG), a pump-action shotgun, bulletproof helmets, magazines, and additional arms and ammunition. This incident has contributed to prevailing tension in Manipur, prompting a bandh called by Kuki organizations from 5 AM to 6 PM. A curfew is now in place in the Jiribam district.
Source: aajtak
2. Fires Sparked by Militants
Besides targeting Borobekra Police Station and CRPF camp, militants set ablaze several shops and homes in and around Jakuradhor Karong Bazaar. This sparked multiple reports of violence across Imphal Valley, leading to gunfire exchanges between armed groups representing the Kuki and Meitei communities.
3. Clashes in Imphal's West and East Villages
Violent confrontations were reported across villages in Imphal West and East, with militants allegedly firing from the hills of Kangpokpi into the lower areas of Imphal West, prompting armed village volunteers to retaliate. The district's Kangchup area saw more arson incidents involving abandoned homes and structures.
4. Villagers Wounded by Bomb Shrapnels
Two villagers, Furitsabam Dewanand and Ningombam Romesh, sustained injuries from bomb shrapnels. Panic ensued when a mortar shell landed near a residential area 4 kilometers from Kangchup, affecting the regions of Chanung and Thamanapokpi in Imphal East with continued gunfire reports.
5. Guerrilla Attire and Advanced Weapons
Officers indicated that when the Kuki militants launched their attacks on the CRPF camp, they were clad in guerrilla outfits, equipped with advanced weaponry. Their premeditated strike began with an assault on Borobekra Police Station, forcing a police counterattack, followed by engaging the nearby CRPF camp, resulting in the militants suffering fatalities during the encounter.
Source: aajtak
6. Ongoing Campaign Against Militants
Manipur Police noted on X that on November 11 at 3 PM, armed militants targeted Jiribam's Jakuradhor CRPF post and the adjacent Borobekra Police Station. Security forces delivered a robust response. Following the initial hit, a CRPF constable named Sanjeev Kumar was wounded and evacuated to Assam's Silchar Medical College for treatment. Intense gunfire spanning 40-45 minutes was quelled, enabling control over the situation. Post-incident searches recovered weapons, ammunition, and 10 militant bodies. Operations persist in and around Jakuradhor under Borobekra Police's jurisdiction, engaging teams from Assam Rifles, CRPF, and civil police.
7. Kuki Organizations Declare Shutdown
The Kuki-Zo Council announced a shutdown, expressing collective grief and solidarity from 5 AM to 6 PM in the state's hilly regions, honoring their comrades slain. The organization condemned the violence, urging swift, in-depth investigation to bring perpetrators to justice, marking a deep loss for both their families and the Kuki-Zo community, committed to the pursuit of peace, justice, and security.
8. Sporadic Violence in Imphal Valley
Officials report sporadic violence in Imphal Valley over the past few days, escalating after the Jiribam incident. A farmer working fields in Yingangpokpi Shantikhongban, Imphal East, was wounded by militant gunfire from Kangpokpi hills. Ongoing attacks disrupt rice harvesting, with numerous farmers in the valley reluctant to work their fields.
9. Five Disappear from Relief Camp
Authorities relay reports of five missing individuals from the Borobekra Police Station's relief camp complex. Unclear whether abducted by militants or hiding post-attack, searches are underway. Section 163 of BNSS has been invoked to maintain order, citing disturbances from unlawful elements threatening peace and public order, risking lives, and property.
Source: aajtak
10. Rising Tensions in Borobekra Since June
Since June, the Borobekra sub-division has witnessed recurring violent episodes. A previous attack on the Zairon Hamar village resulted in the tragic death of a 31-year-old woman. Ethnic violence since last May between Meitei communities in Imphal Valley and the neighboring Kuki-Zo groups in hilly areas has claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands.
Jiribam, initially insulated from the ethnic strife affecting Imphal Valley and nearby hills, became embroiled in violence following the discovery of a brutally killed farmer's body in a field this past June.
