Manipur: Women Confront CRPF Post, Tensions Escalate with Militant Attacks

JIRIBAM: In a rising wave of tension in Manipur, women from the Kuki-Hmar community confronted Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on Saturday at the Jairolpokpi post in Jiribam.

The women’s actions were reportedly driven by anger over alleged restrictions on the free movement of Kuki militants.

According to local sources, the women demanded the CRPF personnel leave the area, ultimately forcing them to vacate the post.

An alleged incident reportedly began as a heated argument between the women and the CRPF personnel. Fed up with what they seemed to regard as unfair restrictions on the movement of their community members, the women intensified the situation by throwing out the belongings of the CRPF personnel and demanding that they leave the area immediately. However, after some time and a tense standoff, both parties agreed to a dialogue, and the situation was briefly defused.

Within hours, the situation flared up once again around 8:45 p.m. with alleged Kuki militants suddenly launching an attack on the Leingangpokpi village. Witnesses said they heard several rounds of gunfire and explosions as bombs were hurled toward the village. The attackers reportedly deployed four drones in the area, marking an escalation of technology usage in local confrontations.

Around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, militants attacked CRPF outposts in coordinated fashion at Jairolpokpi, Mongbung, Uchathol, and Phaithol Part 2. CRPF jawans were equally quick to retaliate during a fusillade of gunfire till it slowly subsided in the wee hours of Sunday at around 2:10 a.m., but casualties cannot be confirmed yet.

Suspected militants have allegedly fired eight rounds toward areas of Sejang and Mongbung on Sunday morning around 11:00 a.m. This further escalated the fears of locals that unrest would continue. Reports say that militants asked non-Meitei residents of and around the Mongbung Meitei village to leave the area by resorting to forced displacement, raising concerns that there could be an escalation of the violence.

In retaliation, security has been heightened around Mongbung Meitei village as state police forces and CRPF personnel are stationed to protect the people. The alert and additional deployment seem to imply that there will be further attempts at militancy violence or infiltration into the region.

These new incidents and escalations do not promise much for the condition because the local forces and CRPF have now been put on high alert for further militant activities. The local communities are advised to stay alert because this situation in Manipur is changing.