In Manipur’s Jiribam, a paramilitary CRPF soldier lost his life in an ambush believed to have been carried out by suspected insurgents.

The police reported that a joint patrol involving CRPF personnel came under heavy fire from suspected insurgents in Manipur’s Jiribam.

In Imphal and New Delhi, a soldier from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) lost his life during an ambush on a joint patrol with state police in Manipur’s Jiribam district. The incident also left two police commandos injured.

According to police reports, suspected insurgents opened heavy fire on the joint patrol near the Assam border. The CRPF soldier was near a patrol SUV when the insurgents attacked, causing extensive damage to the vehicle with several bullet holes and a shattered rear windshield. The two injured police commandos were inside the vehicle during the ambush.

“We responded with effective fire, forcing the insurgents to retreat into the forest. A combing operation is currently underway,” explained a senior police officer speaking to DIKDISHA NEWS from Jiribam, located 220 km away from Imphal, the state capital.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh denounced the attack, attributing it to “suspected Kuki militants”. The ambush occurred amidst heightened tension in Jiribam following recent clashes between the Meitei community and Hmar tribes.

Jiribam had been relatively calm for over a year after ethnic clashes in May 2023, but violence erupted again last month, displacing over a thousand people from both communities into relief camps, some across the border in Assam.

National Highway 37, a critical link between Imphal and Assam’s Cachar district, traverses through Jiribam, while another vital route, National Highway 2, remains blocked in the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district, disrupting essential supplies. The Kuki tribes allege the Meitei community is hindering the passage of goods to their hill areas.

Ethnic tensions between the Meitei community, dominant in the valley, and various Kuki tribes in Manipur’s hills, have resulted in over 220 fatalities and displaced nearly 50,000 people. Both sides have armed “village defence volunteers”, complicating efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully.

While the Meitei community seeks Scheduled Tribe status, the Kuki tribes advocate for administrative autonomy within Manipur, citing grievances over resource allocation and political representation.