Manipur: Assam Rifles Jawan Injured While Defusing IED

IMPHAL: Defence officials claimed that an Assam Rifles soldier was hurt while defusing an improvised bomb in Saitan village in Manipur's Bishnupur district Friday morning, about 60 kilometres south of Imphal.

According to a defence spokesperson, the crude device was made locally, and the soldier who was attempting to defuse it was not seriously injured.

The incident reportedly occurred at around 4.15 AM on Friday.

The wounded soldier was safely transported to a military hospital.

“Indian Army is leaving no stones unturned to undertake surveillance of areas not only in the hinterland but also along the Indo-Myanmar border. Round-the-clock surveillance through Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with specific tasking, employment of MI 17 and Cheetah helicopters of Air Force and Army and numerous foot patrols and flag marches to restore the confidence of locals on the ground are being resorted to," a defence PRO stated.

A total of 128 Army and Assam Rifles columns, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other aerial surveillance assets in sufficient numbers to conduct 24-hour surveillance have been deployed.

Notably, on May 10, an uneasy calm reigned after a group of armed persons (unknown) fired at the Assam Rifles Column on the pretext of gaining area dominance. According to sources, the incident came to light when a curfew in violence-torn Manipur was loosened.

A police officer was murdered and four others were injured the day before when suspected militants opened fire on them near Tera Khongfangbi, also in Bishnupur district.

Officials added that since then, police and army officers have been combing the region to flush out the insurgents.

Violent skirmishes erupted in the northeastern state on May 3 following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' in the hill areas to oppose the Meitei community's quest for Scheduled Tribe (ST) designation.

The clashes were preceded by tensions over the eviction of Kuki villagers from the reserve forest area, which had sparked a succession of smaller agitations and tensions between the Meiteis and Kukis.

Meiteis make up over 53% of Manipur's population and dwell primarily in the Imphal Valley.

Tribals like Nagas and Kukis make up another 40% of the population and live in the hill districts.

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