Tension in fringe areas of Imphal after Meitei community member goes missing, army launches search operation

Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, a resident of Loitang Khunou village in Imphal West, left home on Monday afternoon to report for work at the Leimakhong Army Camp in Kangpokpi and has been missing since then.

Guwahati: Tension gripped parts of the Imphal Valley in conflict-torn Manipur again on Tuesday after a 54-year-old Meitei man working in an army camp in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district went missing on Monday.

A statement issued by the army said that Laishram Kamal Babu, a resident of Cachar district in Assam, was engaged as a works supervisor by a contractor working with Military Engineering Services at Leimakhong military station in Kangpokpi district. "It was informed by his family that the individual did not return home on Monday evening. Immediately the army swung into action. Despite a thorough search of the areas, neither the individual nor his two-wheeler has been located," it said.

"The combing operations have been further intensified. Tracker dogs, drones and other aerial platforms have been integrated," it said.

As the news about the incident spread, a large number of women staged a protest on Tuesday morning and engaged into an argument with army and Assam Rifles personnel manning the "buffer zone" separating the Meitei-dominated Imphal West and Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi. The protesters got angry as the army personnel did not allow them to cross the "buffer zone."

The state government extended closure of all educational institutions till further order fearing fresh tension.

Talking about the incident, CM N Biren Singh on Tuesday evening told reporters in Imphal that a combing operation by police, paramilitary forces and the army was launched in search of the missing person. The incident added to the anger which was still prevalent in the Valley against the recent abduction and killing of three Meitei women and three children allegedly by Kuki insurgents in Jiribam.

Manipur CM N Biren Singh talking to reporters in Imphal on Tuesday evening.

Combing operations:

Countering the allegations by some organisations about the state government's failure to act against those involved in the killings, CM Singh said at least five companies of CRPF (more than 500) have been rushed to Jiribam and a mass combing operation was underway to track those involved in the case. "The search and combing operations will continue till the culprits are arrested and booked under the law."

Singh further said the NIA has also started investigation into three cases related to the killings in Jiribam since November 7. He also stated that the Centre also acted on some of the recommendations made in a meeting on November 18. "The government is not sitting idle. The security forces like CRPF and BSF considered neutral by the people of Manipur have been stationed at certain vulnerable and fringe areas in order to bring peace and normalcy in the state. But there are certain sections who are waiting to sabotage anything announced by the government."