Manipur On High Alert After 900 Tribal Militants Influx State From Myanmar

The office of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has alerted local police forces to a potential threat involving the influx of around 900 newly trained tribal militants from Myanmar.

According to an intelligence report, these militants are reportedly equipped with skills in drone, projectile, and missile operations, and are preparing to launch coordinated attacks on villages in the Imphal valley around September 28.

Photo Credit: PTI

Kuldiep Singh, the security adviser to the BJP-led government in Manipur, highlighted the seriousness of the situation on Friday, stating, "Until this intelligence input is proved wrong, we believe it is 100% correct and prepare for that."

He added, "If it does not come true, either it didn't happen or our efforts didn't let it happen. Either way, you cannot take it lightly."

The intelligence alert, dated September 16 and forwarded by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), indicates that the militants are divided into units of 30 members each and are currently dispersed along the periphery, potentially preparing for simultaneous attacks.

In response, the districts and border units of Manipur Police and Assam Rifles have been placed on high alert, reported Times of India.

A strategic operations group convened on September 18 to discuss countermeasures, and according to Kuldiep Singh, security forces have been instructed to intercept any militant activity at the earliest stage.

"Any movement of militants (must be) nipped in the bud," he said. The districts identified as high-risk include Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Ukhrul, Kamjong, and Pherzawl.

In addition to traditional combing operations aimed at seizing weapons, authorities have heightened their scrutiny of materials used in manufacturing rockets, missiles, and drones.

Singh explained, "DMs have been alerted and asked to check stocks of explosives with licensed owners. All connected roads and villages within a 5km radius of the hills are also being checked for stockpiles."

Regarding the ongoing ethnic conflict, Kuldiep Singh revealed that out of the 2,681 weapons seized by security forces since the violence began, approximately one-third were recovered from the hills and two-thirds from the valley.

He clarified that the proliferation of weapons in both regions was not solely due to looting from state armouries and police stations.

"The availability of weapons in society in both the hills and the valley is not because of looting... They were already available much before (the ethnic conflict began). Single-barrel breech loaders and double-barrel breech loaders were there, some of them licensed and some manufactured illegally."

As security forces remain on high alert, authorities are working to prevent any possible militant attacks and ensure the safety of vulnerable areas.