Insurgency / Manipur

Imphal, June 28: The proscribed Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) has waged a war against the drug menace in Bishenpur, one of the four valley districts of Manipur. The banned outfit, in a statement today, said it would “liberate” Bishenpur, one of the worst drug-hit districts of the state, from “the deadly scourge of drug addiction by December this year”. The outfit asked traffickers, peddlers as well as addicts to shun drugs by December.

The outfit also confirmed that it had killed a peddler, one Ningthoujam Raja alias Inaothi, a resident of the district, on the eve of the International Day...

IMPHAL, June 21 –Top officials of the Indian Army have been visiting this border State since the past couple of weeks after they occupied the so-called “liberated zone” Sajik Tampak in the southern Chandel district bordering Myanmar. Army sources here said that the top officials of the Army have been visiting the State to take stock of the ongoing situation in this insurgency -prone region.

Sajik Tampak, more than 100 km south of Imphal, located in a hilly terrain of southern Chandel district of Manipur had been the stronghold of major underground outfits like Revolutionary People’s Front...

IMPHAL, June 19 – Militants belonging to the United National Liberation Front ambushed an Army post leading to heavy exchange of fire between the two sides at the border village of Sajik Tampak in Manipur’s Chandel district where troops are carrying out a special operation to flush out the ultras, reports PTI. A group of UNLF insurgents ambushed an Army post at Karong Sanlup area near Sajik Tampak village, 109 km from here, last night, official sources said.

Casualties, if any, on both sides were not immediately known, official reports said. The gunbattle lasted for about an hour and Army...

Imphal, June 12: Denial by a top brass of Army of any plan towards launching a Bhutan-type militant flush out operations in neighboring Bangladesh and Myanmar has virtually put a full stop to speculations that Indian army was preparing for a joint strike against militants holed up in these neighboring countries. Chief of the Army' s Eastern Command Lt Gen JS Mukherjee who was in Nagaland on his two-day visit said that such operation depends on the policy of the Government as well as participation of the countries concerned. Bhutan type militant flush out operation depends on the mutual policy...

Kohima, June 11: The army has decided to implement a two-pronged strategy in Manipur, undoing the damage caused by allegations of fake encounters on one hand and tackling deteriorating law and order on the other. The army will initiate a damage-control exercise in the state to rebuild confidence among the people while coming down on militancy with an iron hand.

“We will progressively clear it up,” Lt Gen. J.R. Mukherjee, chief of staff, Eastern Command, told mediapersons here, referring to the spurt in militancy in Manipur.

He added that the whole problem in the region “is interrelated...

Imphal, June 08: While reasserting its goals of establishing a separate State or union territory under the Indian Union the Kuki National Front has warned of stringent action against all concerned found standing in the way of the organisation. Highlighting that the organisation was formed to pursue goal of seperate State or union territory as is legitimate under the Indian Constitution the KNF could not be branded as an outlaw for it does not break any law. The Front took up arms only to defend its people against communal violence and hatred preached by most politicians and public leaders of...

Imphal, June 08: Even though the Chakpikarong based 44 Brigade, brigadier has asked the displaced persons of Sajik Tampak areas to return to their homes the villagers are still reluctant to do so due to apprehension of escalation violence between underground elements and security force personnel there. The villagers' reluctance were highlighted to media persons during a visit at the remote Sajik Tampak areas organised by Indian Army. During an interaction with Brigadier VPPS Gushain at Chakpikarong, he said as Sajik Tampak and adjoining areas are highly sensitive, the security force has been...

Imphal, June 08: In a significant development concerning the interpretation and legality of section 309 Indian Penal Code (attempt to commit suicide), Irom Sharmila who has been on fast unto death since Nov 2, 2002 has filed a petition before the Supreme Court. The petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution prayed before the apex Court to issue a direction to the respondents to immediately and unconditionally release her from custody and to stop force feeding. Lawyers of Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) initiated the case on behalf of Sharmila, said advocate Rakesh Meihoubam, co...

IMPHAL, June 8 – The proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) claimed the responsibility for the encounter that took place with the combined force of State police and India Reserve Bettalion in the adjoining areas of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts Saturday. During the encounter, six security personnel susustained bullet injuries. The encounter took place at Khoirentak, Harmontang and Moirang Khousabung in and around the adjoining areas of Bishnupur and Churachandpur district. The gunbattle continued for several hours.

Claiming that the underground cadres of UNLF were involved...

IMPHAL, June 7 – People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) militants ambushed an Army post at Khonmunliyan Kuki area at Chandel district in Manipur resulting in heavy exchange of fire, official sources said on Monday, reports PTI. Casualties, if any, on both sides were not immediately known, the sources said. Army personnel were still combing the area after the exchange of fire yesterday, near Sajik Tampak village, to flush out the insurgents.

Suspected PREPAK insurgents had earlier attacked an Army post at Paldai area near the same village on May 5 last but no casualty was...