The fragile peace in Manipur was broken on Tuesday as suspected militants shot dead a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) in the state’s Moreh town, along the border with Myanmar.
In the evening, a large number of state forces along with a column of Assam Rifles, which had left Imphal for Moreh, came under attack. The combined team, led by an IG, DIG, and two SP rank officers, came under fire at two locations along the Indo-Myanmar Road, leaving at least three police personnel injured.
Police sources said the SDPO was shot around 9.45 am while he was overseeing the construction of a helipad, jointly taken up by the state force and the BSF. He received a bullet in his abdomen and was evacuated to a clinic, but succumbed to injuries around 10.15 am. Police suspect he was shot from a long distance by a sniper.
The deceased, Chingtham Anand Kumar, a Meitei resident of Haobam Marak Chingtham Leikai in Imphal West district, is survived by his wife and four children. Kumar has in the past been involved in several counter-insurgency operations, for which he received the police gallantry medal. His family said he had been posted in Moreh for the last two years.
Calling it a ‘cold-blooded killing’, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. ‘His dedication to serve and protect the people will always be remembered,’ he said.
An emergency meeting of the state Cabinet was also held at the Chief Minister’s Office, where the law and order situation was discussed.
The Cabinet approved an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh as compensation for his family as well as a government job for the next-of-kin.
The Cabinet also directed a joint operation in Moreh and adjoining areas to nab the culprits, for which additional forces from the capital Imphal were sent.
It was also decided that no illegal armed personnel shall be permitted in or around Moreh, considering its strategic position under India’s Act East Policy.
A joint action committee comprising representatives of different civil society organisations and locals was also formed, which adopted a charter of demands, including sufficient deployment of state forces in Moreh by November 5. Demands also include resettling the displaced Meitei community at Moreh; boycotting the post-harvest Kut festival of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo people which falls on Wednesday; and announcing a statewide shutdown on the day of the festival.
The JAC said the body will not be claimed by the family if the demands are not met by the government.
Tuesday’s cabinet also approved declaring a Kuki-Zo organization, the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC), unlawful under section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. A state government statement referred to a press release by the WKZIC on October 24 that allegedly urged violence.
