A Manipur Rifles commando was killed by alleged militants in the state’s Moreh town in Tengnoupal district on Wednesday morning, as tension prevailed in the town.
Three police personnel were injured in the attack.
The situation in Moreh has been tense following an ambush on security forces by suspected insurgents on December 30, after which a curfew was imposed.
In the second killing of a security official in Moreh in two-and-a-half-months, suspected militants gunned down Wangkhem Somorjit Meetei, who was with the 6th Manipur Rifles, on Wednesday morning.
Later in the day, Meitei extremists burnt at least 11 homes and two schools in Moreh, the Indigenous Tribal Leader’s Forum claimed.
In October, Sub Divisional Police Officer Chingtham Anand was shot dead by suspected militants in the town. On Monday, the police arrested two men for Anand’s killing, leading to unrest among Kukis, who constitute the majority in the mixed-population town.
Following the killing, Manipur Home Department Commissioner T Ranjit Singh wrote to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs asking for helicopters for medical emergencies and to airlift troops and weaponry to the area. Singh demanded that helicopters be sent to Imphal for at least seven days.
“In view of the prevalent situation, the situation may deteriorate further in Moreh, a medical emergency may arise any time,” the officer wrote. “Police Department has also informed that there is also need for airlifting of security personnel, ammunition, etc to Moreh.”
Manipur has been gripped by ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities since early May. Over 200 people have been killed since the conflict broke out and nearly 67,000 persons have been forced to flee their homes.
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