33 Insurgents Killed In Manipur: CM Biren Singh

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday held militants from the Kuki tribe responsible for the recent attacks on unarmed civilians in the state.

He said 33 such militants have been killed in counter-insurgency operations after fresh clashes broke out between armed groups and security forces at over half a dozen places across Manipur on Sunday.

"The insurgents used M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles and sniper guns to attack civilians. Armed with weapons, they barged into many villages to burn down homes. Our government is taking very strong action against them with the help of the army and other security forces. We have got reports some 30 terrorists have been shot dead," Singh told reporters today.

Singh said that the fight is between armed terrorists trying to disintegrate Manipur and the state government assisted by the centre.

The chief minister appealed to the public not to hinder the movement of security personnel and urged them to have "faith in the government and support the security forces."

"We have experienced hardship for so long and we will never allow the state to disintegrate," Singh said.

The latest clashes which erupted in the early hours of Sunday began after the army commenced combing operations to de-arm communities in order to bring peace.

The house of BJP MLA Khwairakpam Raghumani Singh at Uripok in Imphal West was vandalised and his two vehicles have been set on fire, a top security official told PTI.

He said that clashes broke out in the early hours of the morning at several places in different districts surrounding the Imphal Valley both between militant groups and security forces as well as between rival ethnic militant groups.

The firing has been reported from Sugnu in Kakching, Kangvi in Churachandpur, Kangchup in Imphal West, Sagolmang in Imphal East, Nungoipokpi in Bishenpur, Khurkhul in Imphal West and YKPI in Kangpokpi.

Ethnic clashes in Manipur has claimed over 75 lives after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley.

Tribal Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts. Around 140 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, comprising over 10,000 personnel, besides those from other paramilitary forces had to be deployed to bring back normalcy in the Northeastern state.