At check point in Manipur, ‘biased’ Assam Rifles personnel replaced with civil police, CRPF
Over the last few days, the women groups have accused Assam Rifles of being 'biased' in discharging their duty.
At a check post in Moirang between Bishnupur and Kangvai in Manipur, Assam Rifles personnel have been replaced with civil police and CRPF, according to an order issued by the Manipur police on Monday.
While the order does not mention why the force was replaced, the development is significant in the backdrop of Meira Paibis (a collective of elderly Meitei women) holding a day-long protest in Imphal East and West districts demanding the removal of the force from Manipur. Over the last few days, the women groups have accused Assam Rifles of being biased in discharging their duty. The women also accused the security arm of using excessive force in dealing with Meitei protesters.
Also on Saturday, a video of a Manipur police team engaged in a heated confrontation with Assam Rifles was widely circulated on social media. In the video, the police officers were seen accusing Assam Rifles of interfering in their operation of chasing armed miscreants. An Assam Rifles officer is heard saying that he is only doing his duty.
Also Read: Fresh Manipur Police vs Assam Rifles; 15 houses torched, 1 person shot
The police’s order to replace Assam Rifles with another force, which was signed by the additional director general of police (law and order), said, “In partial modification of this office’s order dated August 3, 2023, the naka/check point at Moirang Lamkhai on the Bishnupur to Kangvai road shall be manned by civil police and CRPF in place of 9 Assam Rifles with immediate effect and until further orders.”
One Assam Rifles officer, who did not wish to be named, said, “The place was never manned by the Assam Rifles in the first place. A force which has saved members of both communities alike in the initial days of conflict, how can they be termed biased? Inescapable calibrated use of bare minimum force at certain locations may have been done, predominantly by forces actually mandated for crowd control. Such actions by central forces are generally to prevent violence. Assam Rifles in most of these baseless allegations weren’t even at the site.”
Manipur police and Spear Corps did not comment on the development.
To be sure, the order pertains to only one check point. Assam Rifles and other paramilitary forces are still posted across the state to restore normalcy. Currently CRPF, BSF, SSB, ITBP and Assam Rifles, and the Indian Army are posted in Manipur, which has been roiled by ethnic clashes between tribal and non-tribal groups.
At least 160 people have died in the ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kukis that started on May 3.
The forces are working under a unified interagency command to restore normalcy, headed by security adviser to the Manipur government, Kuldiep Singh.
Meanwhile, the Manipur police on Monday night said there was exchange of fire with armed miscreants at different places such as Mualngat, Terakhongsangbi, Gothol, Pholjang and Kwakta ward 8. “Security forces retaliated and repelled the miscreants. Search operations were also conducted in the adjoining areas in which 9 arms were recovered,” police said. Kwatka and Pholjang are the two places where three Meiteis and three Kukis were killed by armed miscreants on Saturday.
