IMPHAL: A CRPF soldier was killed, and three others were injured, including a Sub-Inspector from Jiribam Police Station, during an ambush in Manipur's Jiribam district on Sunday.
The security team, made up of CRPF's 20th Battalion and Manipur Police officers, was heading towards Monbung village for a search operation related to a previous shooting incident. They were attacked by unidentified armed individuals around 9:40 am.
Officials reported that a Sub-Inspector from the Manipur police, a commando from the state forces, and one CRPF personnel were injured in the firefight.
The CRPF soldier who was killed has been identified as Ajay Kumar Jha, a 43-year-old from Bihar.
The suspected insurgents fired at the patrol, prompting a shootout. Images from the scene depict a patrol SUV pierced with bullet holes and a shattered rear windshield, suggesting that the police commandos inside were specifically targeted.
After the incident, more security forces from Assam Rifles, Manipur police, BSF, and CRPF hurried to the location and initiated extensive search operations in the area.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh denounced the attack, suggesting on social media that "suspected Kuki militants" were involved.
He wrote, “I strongly condemn the killing of a CRPF personnel in an attack carried out by an armed group, suspected to be Kuki militants, in Jiribam district today. His supreme sacrifice in the line of duty shall not go in vain. I further extend my sincere condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased soldier, while praying for the speedy recovery of the ones injured during the attack.”
The ambush occurred during a period of increased tensions in Jiribam, following recent conflicts between the Meitei community and the Hmar tribes.
After ethnic clashes in May 2023, the state had seen a decrease in violence. However, renewed clashes in Jiribam last month displaced over a thousand people from both communities, forcing them to seek refuge in relief camps, with some even crossing the border into Assam.
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