Manipur: Women-led mob forces Army personnel to release 12 militants
Security forces were reportedly forced to release 12 Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) militants after a mob of nearly 1,500 people, led by women, in Imphal East's Itham village surrounded them and thwarted the Indian Army's combing operation in the violence-stuck Manipur. As per reports, the Meitei militant group was involved in several attacks, including the ambush of a 6 Dogra unit in 2015.
Why does this story matter?
This development comes right after senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, chaired an all-party meeting in New Delhi on Saturday to discuss the situation in the northeastern state. Since May 3, Manipur has been facing turmoil after clashes between tribal communities and the Meiteis broke out over demands for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the latter.
Army spokesperson provides update on Itham incident
Providing an update about the situation, an Indian Army spokesperson confirmed that the mob surrounded an Army column and prevented the security personnel from proceeding with their operation. Officials also reportedly revealed that the 12 KYKL militants they arrested on Saturday also included wanted terrorist Moirangthem Tamba, alias Uttam, the alleged brain behind the 2015 ambush that killed nearly 20 army personnel.
Situation in Itham after apprehension of KYKL militants
"At around 2:30pm (on Saturday), acting on specific intelligence inputs, an operation was launched by security forces in Itham village in Imphal East, after which a cordon was laid," news outlet Hindustan Times quoted the Army spokesperson as saying. "In the ensuing operation, 12 KYKL cadres were apprehended along with arms, ammunition, and war like stores (sic)," added the official.
Why Army decided to leave Itham and release militants
According to the news agency PTI, the Army's relentless appeals to the aggressive women-led mob to allow the security personnel to continue their operation as per the law did not result in any positive results. Reportedly, the decision to leave was taken by the Army later while keeping in mind the need to avoid "any collateral damage during the ongoing unrest in Manipur."
Check out Spear Corps' official release after incident
How women-led mobs are sabotaging combing operations in Manipur
Reportedly, the problem of women-led mobs preventing security personnel from conducting search operations has been prevalent across the state. Earlier, a mob led by women blocked a squad of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from entering the Manipur Police training college on Thursday, while another women-led mob stopped security personnel from reaching an area where armed miscreants were shooting automatic guns on Friday.
Casualties cross double figures in Manipur violence
Since clashes broke out in the northeastern state almost over a month ago, at least 115 people have reportedly lost their lives, and over 3,000 have suffered injuries. On the other hand, the state-wide violence has also resulted in more than 50,000 individuals being displaced from their homes, with the tribal Kukis demanding a separate administration for Manipur's hill areas.
