IMPHAL: In response to the attack on his security convoy in Jiribam on Monday (June 10), Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh has strongly condemned the incident, calling it an attack not just on his leadership but on the people of the state.
“It is very unfortunate and highly condemnable. It is an attack directly on the chief minister, which means directly on the people of the state,” Manipur CM Biren Singh stated.
He stressed on the need for immediate and decisive action, adding, “The state government has to do something. I will consult with all of my colleagues, and we will take a decision.”
It may be mentioned here that Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh’s advance security team which was travelling to Jiribam was ambushed by suspected militants at T Laijang near Kotlen along national highway 37 in Jiribam on Monday (June 10) morning at around 10:30.
Several security personnel sustained injuries in the attack.
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The Manipur chief minister was slated to visit the trouble-torn Jiribam district on Tuesday (June 11) to take stock of the volatile situation in the district.
The Manipur police commandos and Assam Rifles have formed a joint team and search operations are going on to trace the perpetrators.
The unrest began on June 06 evening when a 59-year-old man, Soibam Saratkumar Singh, from one community was allegedly killed by militants from another community.
Singh had gone missing after leaving for his farm in the morning, and his body was later discovered with wounds inflicted by a sharp object, according to police sources.
Following the killing, enraged locals set an abandoned structure on fire in retaliation.
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A protest was also staged in front of the Jiribam police station, where residents demanded the return of their licensed firearms, which had been confiscated during the elections.
Jiribam, known for its diverse ethnic composition—including Meiteis, Muslims, Nagas, Kukis, and non-Manipuris—had previously remained untouched by the ethnic strife that has plagued Manipur since May last year.
The ongoing conflict between the Meiteis of the Imphal Valley and the hill-based Kukis in Manipur has resulted in the deaths of over 200 people and displaced thousands more.