Army chief assures stability; three found slain
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal/New Delhi, January 11 2024: The overall violence in Manipur has come down, and the Army is working to normalise the situation to ensure stability, the chief of Army staff Manoj Pande said on Thursday.

He added that the state saw violence last year in May but it has now come down with the combined efforts of the state administration, Army and Assam Rifles.

Despite assurance by the Army chief to bring the situation under control, bodies of three out of four missing persons have been found on Thursday by state forces from Haotak Phailen village areas.

The four, who belong to underprivileged families of Terakhong Akashoi Leikai, remained traceless after they went to collect firewood from the nearby forest area to make their livings.

The bodies found on Thursday were of Thoudam Ibomcha (51), son of late Pangoi, and his son Thoudam Anand (20); and Oinam Romen (38), son of Pishak of Terakhong Akashoi.

The missing person has been identified as Ahanthem Dara (55), son of late Apikchao of the same locality.

Police source said that the four individuals, as usual, went to the forest to collect firewood on Wednesday around 10 am.

Later, at about 3 pm, Kuki militants attacked Meetei farmers, who were tilling their farms in Kumbi Haotak Tampha Khunou area.

The attack forced the villagers to abandon their homes and flee to safer locations as personnel of Mahar Regiment retaliated.

The Kuki militants launched another attack around 5.30 pm to which Mahar Regiment, state force and CRPF personnel deployed in the area returned fire.

As the four persons did not returned home till late evening, a search party of the local volunteers tried to trace them.

As they could not locate them, a report was filed with Kumbi police station, but police could not enter the interior parts of the village due to presence of Kuki militants.

Additional commando personnel were called in to trace the villagers but their whereabouts remained unknown.

The search operation resumed on Thursday morning and local volunteers also joined the state forces.

During the operation, the team found bodies of the three near a gorge in Haotak Phailen area, west of Meichakpi hill.

There were cut marks on their throat as if their throats were slit to slay them in captivity.

Bullet injuries were also found on their heads as well.

Evidences suggest possible torture and execution in captivity.

Police have recovered the body and deposited the same to JNIMS mortuary for post mortem examination.

Meanwhile, district polide, central security forces and local village volunteers continued search operation to trace the missing person till late night.

However, there is no report of finding the missing man.

In new Delhi, while interacting with the cadets at the NCC Republic Day Parade Camp in New Delhi, army chief Manoj Pande also said that the situation is "stable but sensitive" in the northern border.

He said that on the eastern Ladakh row, "We continue to hold talks at military and diplomatic levels to find resolution to balanced issues" .

Pande added that the operational preparedness of the Indian Army is very high and deployment robust.

"We continue to maintain adequate reserves of personnel to deal with any situation," he said.

He added that the ceasefire understanding is holding along the Line of Control, though there have been infiltration attempts.

"We are foiling infiltration attempts along LoC; there is the overall drop in violence in the hinterland in J&K" .

"Support for terror infrastructure in J&K continues," he added.

He also said that the Army has been restructuring the artillery unit.

"We have started the process of reducing animals in our animal transport units and they are being replaced by drones...

We have made a plan and optimise our strength by significant numbers" .

"2024 will be the year of technology adoption for the Indian Army as part of the overall modernisation of force," he said.

On the Agnipath Yojana, Pande said that the first two batches of Agniveers have been fully deployed in the field units and the feedback is "exciting and positive" .

"120 women officers who have been given permanent commission and are in command roles are deployed in field areas also and they are doing a good job there," Pande said.

(With inputs from Business Standard) .

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