Manipur police file FIR against Assam Rifles for ‘obstructing search ops’

The Manipur police have registered a case against a unit of Assam Rifles, accusing the force of "obstructing" a police team from performing their duty in Bishnupur district's Kwakta on August 5 and thereby allowing "Kuki militants" to "flee" after three Meitei men were killed.

The suo-motu case was registered at Phougakchao police station in Bishnupur district, where sporadic incidents of firing have been reported since the killings in the wee hours of August 5.

Manipur police on Monday also decided to replace the Assam Rifles with the CRPF and its own personnel at the check post along the Moirang-Kangvai Road in Bishnupur district, hours after the Meira Paibis - the influential Meitei women vigilante group - demanded the withdrawal of Assam Rifles from the conflict-torn state. The vigilante group accused the Assam Rifles of being partisan towards the Kukis and demanded the central force withdraw from the state.

The Assam Rifles and the Indian Army, on the other hand, alleged that Meitei women groups interfered in their operations and blocked the movement of troops and supplies to the Kuki-inhibited hills.

In the FIR lodged at the Phougakchao police station, officer-in-charge, N. Devdas Singh alleged that 9 Assam Rifles had blocked a police team on the Kwakta and Pholjang Road using their Casper vehicles at around 6.30 am on August 5. The police team was headed there based on information that Kuki militants were taking shelter in Ward number 8 of Kwakta, between Kwakta and Pholjang Road. Pholjang falls in the neighbouring Churachandpur district. Police suspected that Kuki insurgents were involved in the killings of the three Meitei men.

"As such, an arrogant act of the personnel of Assam Rifles gave a chance to the accused Kuki militants to escape freely to a safe zone," read the FIR.

Tension between the state police and Assam Rifles was brewing after the Centre rushed central forces to Manipur and a video showing heated exchange between the two on that day was shared by many on social media. Police personnel were seen shouting at the Assam Rifles personnel, demanding the removal of their vehicle.

Sources in Assam Rifles said they stopped the police team to prevent further escalation of the situation. The source, however, refused to comment on the allegation that Kuki militants were allowed to flee. Assam Rifles is a paramilitary force under the Ministry of Home Affairs but its operational control is under the Ministry of Defence.

Over 150 people have been killed and over 60,000 others have been displaced due to the violence between sections of Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur since May 3. The situation has still remained a concern despite the deployment of a large number of security forces, including the Army.