CRPF jawan, Kuki militant killed in Jiri encounter
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 14 2024: One CRPF personnel and one Kuki militant were killed in a heavy fighting between Kuki militants and security forces at Mongbung and two other locations at Seijang Kuki village, Jiribam this morning.

One Kuki militant and two State Police personnel also sustained injuries in the encounter.

The deceased personnel (driver) of 20th Battalion CRPF has been identified as Ajay Kumar Jha (43) from Bihar.

He sustained fatal bullet injury on his forehead, suspected to have been fired using a sniper rifle.

Ajay Kumar Jha succumbed to the injury on his way to the hospital.

CRPF jawan, Kuki militant killed in Jiri encounter

At around 9.30 am today, a combined team of State Police and CRPF personnel was heading toward Kuki dominated areas of Mongbung and Seijang Kuki village to conduct search operations after indiscriminate firing of bombs and bullets by Kuki militants toward security personnel at Mongbung village last night, sources said.

As the security forces approached the Kuki dominated areas of Mongbung and Seijang Kuki village, they came under heavy attack from the Kuki militants who used bullets as well as bombs from different locations of Seijang hill range.

Soon after the Kuki militants launched the attack, the combined team retaliated by firing toward the Kuki militants and the encounter lasted for around an hour.

Some vehicles of the security forces were also damaged in the attack.

Romendro, Sub Inspector of Jiribam police station and Moirangthem Robindro, commando personnel of Jiribam commando unit sustained bullet injury on their legs and face.

Their conditions are stated to be stable.

One Kuki militant was also killed in the gun battle and the deceased person has been identified as Thangboi (20) s/o Ngounu of Mongbung Kuki village.

Another cadre of Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) identified as Haoneithang Vaiphei alias Brucelee of Kangvai Vll, sustained critical injuries and has been admitted in Silchar Medical College.

He sustained bullet injury on his chest in retaliatory firing by security forces.

Reinforcement teams of security forces rushed to the encounter site and carried out massive search operations in the areas dominated by Kuki militants.

According to the sources, there might be more casualties on the side of the Kuki militants.

Later in the afternoon, a combined team of Jiribam district police, Assam Rifles and CRPF carried out a search operation at Mongbung village and the search operation was going till the time of filing this report.

So far, Kuki militants have killed at least five Central armed forces personnel, Ajay Kumar Jha of CRPF being the latest martyr.

Earlier, Kuki militants killed Alok Rao of Assam Rifles on May 16, 2023; Ranjit Yadav of BSF on June 5, 2023; M Sarkar of CRPF on April 26, 2024 and Arup Saini of CRPF on April 26, 2024 .