DM Monitoring
New Delhi: A day after Manipur Police reportedly registered a Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case against militants who had abducted a senior police officer and his escort in Imphal East district, a police spokesperson warned of calling in the central forces.
The Imphal Free Press has reported that Inspector General of Police I.K. Muivah told reporters that all action taken by cops has been “moderately general.”
“If the civil police are unable to do their duty due to the obstruction of CSOs [civil society organisations] and public then automatically central forces will have to be called in to assist which will be far more undesirable for the state,” he said.
He also said that Armed Forces Special Powers Act could be re-imposed.
Last September, the Manipur government said it will continue with the erstwhile categorisation of the Hill areas of the state as ‘disturbed areas’ under the AFSPA, but that it will not be implemented in Valley areas under the jurisdiction of 19 police stations across seven districts including the capital city of Imphal. Manipur has been in the grip of violence since May 3 last year, leading to at least 200 deaths, thousands of injuries, tens of thousands of people displaced and a deeply divided state.
On Tuesday, February 27, Moirangthem Amit Singh, the additional superintendent of police (operations) of Imphal West, and one of his escorts were abducted by around 200 militants from his residence, Hindustan Times had reported. The abductors were members of the radical Meitei group Arambai Tenggol, it is being suspected.
The mob also vandalised Amit Singh’s house.
IFP reported that at the press conference, IGP (Administration), K. Jayenta said that the armed group that perpetrated the attack had tried to “defame the said police officer as a corrupt” one.
An unsigned press noted issued by the police also identified the Arambai Tenggol as the perpetrators according to this report and noted that the police had said:
“Manipur Police is also a neutral force and not acting against any community or in favour of one. Use of social media to target any officer or unit will be strongly dealt with by taking up cases and action.”
HT additionally reported that in protest, a section of commandos belonging to the Manipur Police also staged an “arms down” agitation in various valley districts a day later.
