IMPHAL: Manipur Police fear apprehension that the active cadres of the proscribed Kuki Independent Army/Kuki Independent Organization (KIA/KIO) take civilians as human shields during the encounters to defame the security forces.
The KIA/KIO cadres have forced five civilians to accompany them during the exchange of gunfights with the combined security forces of the Manipur Police.
Of the five individuals, three have been rescued from the clutches of the ruthless militants.
Of the two rescued villagers, one named Lhunkhopao Haokip, 38 yrs from Kolchung village, sustained a bullet injury on his left knee and was evacuated to Churachandpur District Hospital.
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Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh on Monday on his Twitter post stated, “He (Lhunkhopao Haokip) along with five others were said to have been forced by the KIA cadres to accompany them. Three of the said persons are with us.”
Police said that counter-insurgency campaigns are being intensified at the suspected hideout along the border areas of the Churachandpur district and Myanmar so as to rescue the abducted villagers at gun points.
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As a follow-up action to the April 8 looting of the cache of arms and ammunition from Chongkhojou Suspension of Operation Camp, an operation was launched on April 16 by a special police team of Churachandpur District under the supervision of the Additional Superintendent of Police (Operations) Deshorjit Singh, Manipur Police Service and overall supervision of SP-CCP Shivanand Surve, IPS.
And the exchange of the gunfights took place at a hideout near Songphu village, about 20 km north of Henglep sub-divisional headquarters of Manipur’s Churachandpur district bordering Myanmar on Sunday at around 2.30 pm, the police said here on Monday.
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The operation yielded good results, the Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said.
A search operation was launched after the encounters in and around the said village and recovered the following arms and ammunition, CM N Biren Singh who is also holding the home portfolio stated on his Twitter.
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In search of the site after the incident following items were recovered:
1) Ladies Carbine with a magazine – 01
2) Single Barrel (SBBL) – 04 were recovered
3) AK 56 Rifle with the magazine each- 02
4) Camouflage Bag – 03
5) Chinese Hand Grenade – 02
6) Lethode live round – 01
7) Pistol – 03
8) AK 56 Ammunition – 76
9) Single Barrel Ammo – 22 and 3 empty cases and
10) 9 mm rounds – 04
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