Manipur’s Moreh on the boil: 3 lives lost, including 2 Manipur Commandos, 1 Kuki-Zo woman

Imphal: Two Manipur Police Commandos have been killed in the ongoing firing at the Indo-Myanmar border town of Moreh on Wednesday. The mortal remains of the Manipur Police Commando who was killed in an attacked by armed groups today morning has been airlifted to Imphal. Two other injured security personnel brought back from the border town has been admitted at RIMS hospital for further treatment in the morning.

The two injured personnel have been identified as Sidharth Thokchom (ASI) injuring on right face and Bhim Singh (Constable) with injuries on left leg and left ear dumb.

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According to Police report, on the early morning of Wednesday, armed militants orchestrated a violent attack on the State Forces, employing firearms and explosives in Moreh, killing one personnel of the 6th Manipur Rifles.

Manipur Police said the deceased personnel [killed in the morning] is identified as Wangkhem Somorjit Meetei, 32, s/o (L) Wangkhem Chaoton Singh of Malom Tulihal Mayai Leikai was martyred in the line of duty. His body has been deposited at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) morgue in Imphal for post mortem. Somorjit is survived by his wife and two daughters. Police also informed that security forces are presently engaging the inimical elements in the border town. Three more injury

Meanwhile, reports have come in from Moreh that a second Manipur Police Commando has died. The latest deceased personnel has been identified as Takhellambam Saileshwor from Imphal and three other personnel injured. The are identified as Rifleman of 3rd IRB Md. Kamal Hassan(injury on left armpit), Rifleman of 3rd IRB Songsuathui Aimol (injury on left side of neck), Rifleman of 3rd IRB Md. Abdul Hasim (injury on right ear).

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Earlier in the day, intense firing was reported at Moreh Ward Number 7 and Ward Number 9. Around 5 houses and Mount Moreh Public School situated at Canan Veng, Moreh Ward Number 7 caught fire from bomb explosions during the fierce gun battle. Personnel of Assam Rifles and Gorkha Regiment rushed to the incident sites in their Casper vehicles but they were stopped by protesters in other parts of the border town when the State security forces were being attacked, sources said.

Videos of protestors overpowering the vehicles went viral on social media platforms around the same time attacks on State Forces were being reported. One Kuki-Zo woman who was allegedly hit by a Casper vehicle of the Assam Rifles during a protest near T Yangnom village succumbed to her injury. The deceased woman has been identified as Vahneilam Mate of K Moulsang village.

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In the wake of situation, additional teams of State security forces were dispatched from Imphal to Moreh but Kuki-Zo womenfolk blocked them on the national highway running through Tengnoupal District. Videos of protesters blocking the reinforcement teams also went viral on social media. Combined team of State security forces and Assam Rifles also tightened security measures in Pallel area, stopping movement of Meitei people towards Tengnoupal side.

Following the report of Manipur Police Commando killed at Moreh, women folks from Ima Keithel in Imphal valley tried to storm the Chief Minister’s Office. However, the group of women were stopped before reaching Kangla Gate by the Police, leading to traffic jam along the stretch. Meira Paibis (women torch bearers) were seen in several places in Imphal, including Uripok, Sagolband and Lamsang staging protest against the brutal killing of the security forces at Moreh on Wednesday evening.

All business establishments at Ima Keithel and Thangal bazar were shut down in the afternoon amid the fresh tensions at the border town.

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Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum has accused the the Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh for the attacks in Moreh. ITLF calling N Biren Singh a communal CM said “the relentless, unjustifiable violence perpetrated by unleashing his private militia – Arambai Tenggol, the communal Meitei Police, which is a combination of Manipur Police CDO and Meitei narco-terrorist cadres (UNLF, PLA, PREPAK etc) and the Assam Rifles against innocent villagers of Moreh Town since the last few months and this morning is nothing short of abhorrent.”

ITLF further said the attacks in the border town Moreh, a Kuki-Zo dominated township, crucial to the Centre’s Act East Policy, “is a full-blown war unleashed by the CM of Manipur against Indian citizens, with the end goal of annihilation and then annexation of Kuki-Zo tribal ancestral lands. This reign of terror must be swiftly brought to an end before it gets out of hand, with those responsible at the State Govt be held accountable for their heinous crimes against humanity and Indian tribals. The oppressed citizens deserve justice, peace, and security.”

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Meanwhile, the Co-coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the border town, Moreh.

In regard to Wednesday’s developments in Moreh, addressing media in Imphal, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity convener Jitendra Ningomba said that despite the presence of adequate central forces, the law and order situation in the border town, Moreh, has totally collapsed. He insisted that the central government and the State government must make their intentions clear to the public, as “there is no effective measure taken by the government,” according to Newmai News Network.

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It may be mentioned that tension brewed in Moreh following the recent arrest of Ex-Serviceman Philip Khongsai and Chief of K. Moulsang Village Hemkholal Mate, main suspects in the assassination of Moreh SDPO late Chingtham Anandkumar in October last year. The Court of Judicial Magistrate Moreh has remanded the two accused persons to police custody for 9 days.

The Kuki-Zo tribals have been demanding unconditional release of the two main suspects who were arrested by Manipur Police Special Commando during round patrolling near Moreh College on January 15 evening. Kuki-Zo frontal organisations ITLF, and Committee on Tribal Unity and Kuki Inpi Manipur have also been claiming that the two arrested persons are innocent and charges level against them are false. District Administration Tengnoupal imposed total curfew on entire Tengnoupal district since January 16.