Security forces raze 468 bunkers set up by militants, armed groups since violence began in Manipur

Imphal : The security forces in Manipur during the past over 16 months destroyed more than 468 bunkers, illegally set up by the militants and other armed groups in different districts, officials said here on Saturday.

A senior police official said that the Army, Assam Rifles, Manipur Police Commandos and the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) during their operations and searches have destroyed 468 bunkers in different districts since the ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3 last year.

"Various militant outfits, armed groups and village volunteers of different communities have set up makeshift bunkers in the peripheral zones and bordering areas inhabited by people of different communities. Militants and armed cadres took position in these bunkers to prevent attack by the rival outfits or to defend their own community," the police official told IANS.

Such illegal bunkers were set up for the first time in Manipur since the ethnic violence began between the non-tribal Meitei and tribal Kuki-Zo communities on May 3 last year.

The official said that all the security forces have been asked to seriously analyse the nature and origin of the arms recovered or seized during the search operations.

"In view of the militants using modern technology, the security forces also equipped themselves with several up-to-date equipment and devices," the official added.

After the militants started attacking rival community in Manipur using drones and most sophisticated weapons earlier this month, the Army, Assam Rifles and CAPF, including CRPF and BSF, also deployed anti-drone measures and started using anti-drone guns.

Meanwhile, Chief Security Advisor to the state government Kuldeep Singh on Friday said that following the reports of infiltration of 900 well-trained Kuki militants from Myanmar to Manipur, the security forces in the troubled-torn state have been put on high alert.

Singh, who is the former Director General of CRPF, had said that the Central forces have been placed on high alert in districts bordering Myanmar -- Chandel, Pherzawl, Tengnoupal, Ukhrul and Kamjong.

"Reports of movement of the infiltrated militants have been circulating for the past three to four days on various social media platforms," Singh said.

He added that a high-level meeting of the 'Strategic Operation Group' was held on September 18 and finalised the strategies to deal with the situation.

Senior Army, Assam Rifles and CAPF and state police officials were present in the crucial meeting.

Singh said that additional security measures would be taken in the mixed-populated, peripheral villages and places where the ongoing construction activities are going on.

Meanwhile, expressing their doubt over the "reports of infiltration of 900 well-trained Kuki militants from Myanmar to Manipur," the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) on Saturday said that they do not need any one from outside to protect them.

"We are able to protect ourselves from the ethnic cleansing as is evident since May 3 last year. We fought the mighty British empire from 1917 to 1919 during the Anglo-Kuki war and we are not in need of any external help to fight this secessionist Meitei community," the KSO said in a statement.

The statement added that the KSO general headquarters wants to clarify once and for all that we were capable of defending our ancestral land since time immemorial and definitely against this secessionist community.

"We don’t need our kindreds from another side of the frontiers to aid us as they have problems of their own," it said.