Four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies have reached Manipur and are deployed deep inside Kuki areas such as Kangpokpi, Motbung, Dolaithabi, Geljang, replacing 22 Assam Rifles, according to top intelligence sources. Meanwhile, the Central government is upset with the state for issuing an intelligence alert on “900 Kuki militants”, without verifying and creating an atmosphere of panic, said sources.
According to top sources in CRPF, their focus will be the camps of the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) situated at T Gamnon.
Earlier, top CRPF officials had reached Imphal to coordinate this movement of CRPF inside these areas
The state alert had mentioned that over 900 Kuki militants, newly trained in the use of drone-based bombs, projectiles, missiles, and jungle warfare, have entered Manipur from Myanmar. It had stated that these militants are reportedly grouped in units of 30 members each, scattered across the periphery, and are expected to launch multiple coordinated attacks on Meitei villages around September 28.
The input was alarming and gave precise details of the training module of the militants and even the precise date of attacks, including the number of teams. According to top sources in intelligence and army, no such infiltration has happened and nothing is available to their knowledge.
The Centre wants peace and the focus is on settling the dispute between the communities, said sources. “The timing of this input is also seen as an attempt to derail the peace process as Home Minister has announced the beginning of peace process and started the fencing of India Myanmar border,” they said.
Earlier Security Advisor Kuldeep Singh had, in a press conference, said, “We are checking the credentials of this input and need corroborative ground evidence.”
Since May 2023, Manipur has been embroiled in violence between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki communities, driven by disputes over economic benefits and quotas. Manipur remains divided into two ethnic enclaves – a Meitei-controlled valley and Kuki-dominated hills – separated by a no-man’s land monitored by federal paramilitary forces. Despite efforts to quell the unrest, sporadic clashes persist, with the latest violence resulting in 11 deaths earlier this month. Since May of last year, the conflict has resulted in at least 237 deaths and displaced over 60,000 people in Manipur, which is home to 3.2 million people.
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