Imphal/IBNS: Three children and three women have been missing from Manipurs Jiribam since Monday following an encounter between suspected Kuki insurgents and the security forces, which saw the elimination of 10, who were suspected to be militants.
The missing children include a two-year-old baby.
In a press conference on Tuesday, the Manipur Police said the 10 Kuki insurgents were killed in the encounter that took off after firing by the latter in the village of Jiribam, which is near the border with Assam.
Civil society groups of the Kuki tribes, however, claimed that the 10 deceased were not insurgents but village volunteers.
They have sought a detailed probe into the circumstances that led to their killing.
Security forces have launched an operation to search for the missing people. They are three women and three children. The Assam Rifles, Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force will retaliate if fired upon, a senior Manipur Police officer told reporters in the state capital Imphal on Tuesday.
During the attack, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan also received injuries and is undergoing treatment at Silchar Medical College in Assam.
The suspected Kuki militants initially launched an attack on a police station in Jiribam from two sides, prompting the encounter to begin.
Several press releases from organizations have surfaced on social media, alleging baseless claims against the CRPF and Manipur Police regarding the incident of 11 November, 2024 at Jakuradhor, Borobekra under Jiribam District, accusing the authorities of foul play. In this
Manipur Police (@manipur_police) November 12, 2024
A total of 13 internally displaced people were reported missing since Monday from Jiribam. Two civilians were also found dead, five have been traced, and six are missing, the officer said.
The two deceased were identified as two senior citizens from the Meitei community. Both were found inside a structure that was set on fire by the militants, the police officer added.
The suspected Kuki militants initially launched an attack on a police station in Jibram from two sides, prompting the encounter to begin.
After attacking the post, the suspected Kuki insurgents then spread out towards a small settlement in Jakurador Karong, which is 1 km from the police station.
According to reports, they began setting ablaze the houses in that settlement while simultaneously engaging in a gunfight with the security forces.
After 40-45 minutes of heavy exchange of fire, the situation was brought under control.
