CDOs in civvies escape life attempt at Moreh
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 12 2023:
Suspected Kuki militants on Wednesday attacked two commando personnel deployed at Moreh border town in Tengnoupal district.
According to a report, as one of the commando personnel became ill, two commando personnel dressed in plain clothes went to purchase medicines from a pharmacy located at Moreh Gate No.2 around 9.30am Wednesday.
Before they could reach the pharmacy, they were approached by 3 4 Kuki speaking people.
Sensing trouble, the two personnel hurried from the area to which one among the unknown persons, suspected to be Kuki mill tants, whipped out a handgun gun and fired several rounds at their direction.
Though the attacker missed their in tended target, the fleeing commandos got hit by an incoming auto rickshaw and sustained injuries.
Despite the injuries, the personnel managed to reach the Moreh commando post.
However, the other commando personnel at the post did not venture out to chase the Kuki militants after learning of the attack as they were not granted permission by the officers concerned.
With regard to the Moreh incident, Police Control Room said that suspected armed miscreants travelling in an auto tried to abduct two police personnel, who were in plain clothes to purchase some essential items including medi cine from Moreh Gate No.2 and Nepali Basti Diversion Point on Wednesday.
The control room informed that after a brief scuffle, the police personnel escaped to Moreh PS.
The suspected armed miscreants also escaped from the area after firing 2-3 rounds in the air.
District Police Tengnoupal and central forces conducted a search operation in the area.
However, the armed miscreants had fled from the area swiftly, it added.
According to some commando per sonnel deployed in Moreh town, they have been prohibited from stepping ojit from Moreh Commando post for over two months since the May 3 clashes.
Among the personnel deployed in the area, some have left due to poor health while others left for Imphal after end of their posting duration.
Although attempts were made to bring in the personnel transferred from Imphal via helicopter as the roads in Tengnoupal area are blocked, it turned out to be futile after the Kuki populace settling near the AR camp where the helipad is located, raised objections to the commandos exiting the camp to go to the post.
While food items are being brought in for the commando personnel deployed in the area, other essential items are unavailable including safe drinking water.
As such, the personnel have been boiling water drawn from the well.
Additionally, there is lack of medicine, making the situation direr when one of them falls sick.
On top of this, they are deprived of their duty to enforce law and order and barred from leaving the post.
This seems like the personnel are deployed while being gagged and bound, waiting for others to attack, the personnel conveyed.
The personnel further conveyed that while the matter has been brought up to the top officers and others concerned, no action has been taken up till date.
Thus, they appealed to the authorities concerned to look into the difficulties faced by the commando personnel deployed in the area.
It is noteworthy that Kuki Women Union and Human Rights Moreh (KWU and HR) organised a sit-in protest at the New Moreh playground in Tengnoupal district on July 7, demanding the removal of police commandos from Moreh police station.
These organisations accused police commandos of killing two students in Moreh on May 3 and also alleged that innocent civilians are under threat due to the presence of communal forces, referring to the police commandos.
The placards displayed at the protest site read: "Withdraw the commando who killed us," "We don't want communal forces, remove the commandos from Moreh," "Killer commando go back," "Impose PR to save lives," "Tribal lives matter," "Government of India, find the truth," and "GOI, save the Kuki" .