10 militants die in attack on Manipur CRPF camp

Escalating violence

- Prawesh Lama and Thomas Ngangom

A combined team of paramilitary personnel and state police gunned down 10 militants on Monday in Jiribam district of Manipur after a group of armed men attacked a security camp, underlining the simmering tensions in a state where 230 people have died in clashes that started roughly 18 months ago.

In a statement, Manipur Police said that around 3 pm, a post of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Jakuradhor and the nearby Borobekera police station were attacked by armed militants. The combined security forces, including CRPF and civil police, retaliated strongly. While 10 bodies were recovered, the forces suspect one more militant, whose body was taken by cadres, was killed in the attack.

"Due to the attack, CRPF constable Sanjeev Kumar sustained a bullet injury and has been evacuated to Silchar Medical College in Assam, where he is currently receiving treatment," the statement said.

The heavy exchange of gunfire lasted for 40-45 minutes, after which the situation was brought under control.

"During a search of the area, 10 bodies of armed militants were recovered along with a cache of arms and ammunition, including three AK-47 rifles, four SLRs, two INSAS rifles, one RPG, a pump-action gun, BP helmets, and magazines," the statement added.

This is the highest single-day casualty of militants in the restive region since September 7, when four militants from both tribal and Meitei militant groups were killed. It underlined that rampaging violence in the state had weakened the rule of law and what had started as an ethnic clash between two communities had slowly engulfed the entire province.

Manipur Police did not disclose the identity or ethnicity of the deceased militants. In a statement, the Hmar Village Volunteers (HVV), a force comprised of Hmar tribals that guards villages, said that 11 people who died were their village defence volunteers.