Manipur Police rebut PC Nair's statement
Rumour mongers asked to hold tongue
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 10 2024: Reacting to Assam Rifles' retired Director General Lt Gen PC Nair's statement that Manipur Police have been divided into Meitei Police and Kuki Police and Manipur Police no longer exist, Manipur Police have rebutted the same statement as misleading and devoid of truth.

Briefing media persons at Manipur Police Headquarters, Babupara this afternoon, IGP (Ops) IK Muivah said that Manipur Police comprise personnel belonging to different communities and faiths.

It would do good for the retired DG AR to acknowledge Manipur Police have personnel belonging to Meitei, Naga, Kuki and Muslim, and followers of Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, IK Muivah said.

He asserted that Manipur Police exist as it is and there is no such thing as Meitei Police or Kuki Police.

PC Nair's statements were incorrect, biased and fabricated, he asserted.

The recent bombing carried out with the help of drones is being investigated by forensic experts of Manipur Police and combing operations are being carried out in areas from where the weaponised drones were operated, the IGP said.

On being asked if Manipur Police are considering any legal action against PC Nair, IK Muivah said that the matter would be first discussed among top officers of the State police.

Speaking on the students' protest, the IGP (Ops) appealed to carry on the protest whether it is in the form of rally or sit-in-protest in a democratic manner.

Appealing to all the students not to take recourse to any form of violence, the IGP (Ops) warned that violent protest may entail casualties on the part of police, students and the general public.

He said that the police have been investigating if there are people conspiring to create unrest in the State deliberately.

Police have also started monitoring false information and rumours propagated on social media platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp groups, he said.

Screenshots of such social media posts aimed at amplifying the unrest have been collected.

Even if such posts are deleted, police still have records of the deleted posts, IK Muivah said.

Police will take up necessary actions against all those people who have been uploading false messages, pictures and videos with an ulterior motive to amplify the unrest, the IGP said.

He then appealed to all social media users to stop propagating false information on social media.

On being asked if the State Government's statement that foreign hands were suspected in the aerial bombing carried out by Kuki militants using high-tech drones recently has been confirmed, the IGP (Ops) said that evidence of involvement of foreign hands have been found in the course of investigation carried out by a forensic team of Manipur Police after seizing several drones.

He added that the case has been handed over to the NIA.

The long range rocket fired by Kuki militants is being investigated.

Some components of the rocket have been recovered and they are being examined in forensic laboratory.

Manipur Police are also considering whether the case of long range rocket attack should be handed over to the NIA or not, IK Muivah said.

On being enquired if army's assistance was sought in investigating the drone bomb attacks carried out by Kuki militants at Koutruk and Senjam Chirang from a place a few Kms away from Leimakhong, he said that the matter is being investigated by a high-level committee headed by Additional DGP of Manipur Police and comprising army's GOC and AR's IG.

Saying that Manipur Police have initiated due process to install anti-drone systems at some places, the IGP(Ops) added that this would help in preventing drone attacks to some extent.

IGP (Administration) K Jayanta opined that what retired Lt Gen PC Nair stated in media might be his personal opinion.

It does not look like he was speaking on behalf of Assam Rifles, Jayanta remarked.

Asserting that Manipur Police cannot be divided on community or ethnic lines, he said Manipur Police vehemently oppose the retired DG AR's statement.

Manipur Police have recovered the unexploded tail of the rocket fired by Kuki militants recently, he said.

Manipur is now passing through a very critical phase.

The violent students protest which erupted on Monday have been hampering security personnel from fighting forces challenging the integrity of Manipur and protecting people's life and property in vulnerable areas, Jayanta said.

A large number of personnel are now engaged in tackling or controlling the students' protest who otherwise should be deployed in foothill or peripheral areas, he said.

The stand-off or conflict between police and students is a big loss for the whole State, he said.

He then appealed to all parents, teachers and elders to convince the students and bring them on the right path.

One police personnel sustained bullet injury during a students protest rally on Monday but the bullet was not fired by any student.

It is highly likely that the bullet was fired by some anti-social elements or miscreants taking undue advantage of the students' protest, the IGP (Administration) said.

He said that some people have been scheming to aggravate the situation.

IGP (Intelligence) K Kabib was also present at the press briefing.

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