A serving Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army, who was abducted from his home in Manipur’s Thoubal district by anti-social elements on Friday morning, was rescued by security forces in the same evening.
Authorities are investigating the incident, and according to sources, a joint search operation involving various security agencies was initiated to secure the release of the JCO. This coordinated effort resulted in his safe return at 6:30 pm, PTI reported.
Singh, who was on leave at the time, was abducted around 9 am when intruders forcibly entered his home, took him, and fled in a vehicle.
While the reason for the abduction remains unclear, initial reports hint at a possible extortion case, as Singh’s family had previously received threats.
This incident marks the fourth targeting soldiers or their relatives in Manipur since the conflict began. Notably, in September 2023, an unidentified armed group kidnapped and killed former Assam Regiment soldier Serto Thangthang Kom. Two months later, four individuals, relatives of an Indian Army soldier, were kidnapped and killed while traveling from Churachandpur to Leimakhong.
A fifth passenger, the soldier’s father, who sustained injuries, escaped and was airlifted for treatment. In another incident, an Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) from Manipur Police was attacked in Imphal city on February 27 by the radical Meitei group Arambai Tenggol (AT).
Following the attack, Manipur Police commandos temporarily laid down their arms, prompting Chief Minister N Biren Singh to address their concerns.
Manipur Police also published a statement blaming the notorious group AT for the attack and warned all miscreants to refrain from such acts and indicating that prevalence of such conditions will result in reimposition of AFSPA in the valley.
The security forces toiling day and night for early restoration of peace and normalcy are being targeted for performing their duty, the officials said, adding the attacks by the inimical elements on security forces and their families need to be strongly condemned and perpetrators caught and punished as per the law.
At least 219 people have been killed in the ethnic strife in the state that started on May 3 last year after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
(With inputs from PTI)
Comments
0 comment