Security force nabs 12 militants in Manipur, but mob forced to release the insurgents

way2barak, June 24 : The Army and the Assam Rifles on Saturday apprehended 12 militants of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) outfit and recovered huge arms and ammunition from their possession, but a mob of 1500 people, including women, surrounded the soldiers, forcing the security force to hand over all 12 cadres to the local leaders, defence sources said.

A defence spokesman said after Saturday midnight that the security forces acting on specific intelligence inputs launched an operation at Itham village in Imphal East district and the area was cordoned before the actual search commenced to avoid inconvenience to the locals.

“The operation resulted in the apprehension of 12 KYKL cadres along with arms, ammunition and war-like stores. Self-styled Lt Col Moirangthem Tamba alias Uttam was also among the 12 militants.

He was the mastermind of an ambush on the 6th battalion of the DOGRA in 2015,” he said.

A mob of approximately 1200-1500, led by women and the local leaders immediately surrounded the area and prevented the security forces from continuing with the operation, despite repeated appeals, to the aggressive mob, as per law.

However, it did not yield any positive result.

The defence PRO said that keeping in view the sensitivity of use of kinetic force against large irate mob and envisaged casualties due to such action, the officer on ground made a considerate decision to hand over all 12 KYKL militants to local leaders.

The Army and the Assam Rifles troops lifted the cordon and left the area with the recovered weapons and war like stores, recovered from the insurgents.

Mature decision on part of operational commander displays humane face of the Indian Army, making all efforts to avoid any collateral damage and denies scope of escalating the situation, during the ongoing unrest in Manipur, the spokesman said.

The Indian Army appeals to the people of Manipur to assist the Security Forces in maintaining law and order to bring peace and stability, a defence statement said.