Manipur: Two Casualties Reported, More Helicopters Requested from Centre as Moreh Remains Tense

The situation in Manipur’s Moreh remains tense following multiple gun and bomb attacks on police personnel by militants and a face-off between local residents and central forces. The gunfight began after militants fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a temporary police unit near SBI Moreh, which was followed by multiple attacks on security forces at Ward No 7 and Chikim village located near the town’s border with Myanmar.

Here are the latest updates:

1. Two casualties have been reported. During an ambush near Ima Kondong Lairembi Devi temple, 32-year-old Wangkhem Somorjit, a Manipur police personnel, sustained gunshot wounds and died during treatment at Key Location Point (KLP) of Assam Rifles. Two more IRB personnel were injured in the exchange of fire, officials added.
2. A top official said the bodies of Somorjit and the two injured personnel have been airlifted by a helicopter to Imphal. N Bheem (35), who sustained injuries on his left leg, and ASI Sidharth Thokchom (35), who sustained injuries on his face and ears, have been admitted to RIMS for treatment, the official added.
3. More central forces and at least two companies will go to Moreh on January 19. More special forces and Assam Rifles have moved into the spot. The state government has asked for more helicopters from the Centre.
4. In a related development, a woman was critically injured after being accidentally hit by a vehicle of the central forces when she tried to stop it, as per officials. Despite curfew, a large number of women came out on the streets and blocked the road to restrict the movement of Assam Rifles and army personnel rushing to contain the situation.
5. A top-level meeting to discuss the situation was held at the chief minister’s secretariat, attended by N Biren Singh, ministers, and MLAs, an official told PTI.
6. Moreh has been experiencing regular exchanges of fire between security forces and militants over the past few days. The latest firing incident took place just 48 hours after the arrest of two suspects involved in the killing of a police officer by the state’s forces.
7. The Kuki side has claimed that at least nine residential houses and two schools have been burnt down in Moreh.
8. Earlier this month, Singh had said there were high chances of involvement of foreign mercenaries from Myanmar in the gun and bomb attacks.

(With PTI inputs)

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