Manipur CM says that India-Myanmar border fencing should be a priority
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that to check infiltration from the India-Myanmar border and trans-border movement of “inimical elements”, the government is fencing the state’s border with the neighbouring country.
Fencing along the around 400-km-long India-Myanmar border in Manipur has already been started by the Union Home Ministry. The construction was halted due to the disputes in some areas but it continued elsewhere.
The Chief Minister paid his tributes at the Imphal airport to Assam Rifles Colonel Viplav Tripathi and four jawans of the paramilitary forces who were killed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) militants in the border Churachandpur district. Saddeningly, Tripathi’s wife, and their 9-year-old son were also gunned down in the dastardly militant attack.
While speaking to the media Biren Singh said, “The state government will not compromise with such heinous violence and killing of innocent people. The army, paramilitary, and the state security forces are always alert to foil the militants and any other acts of violence.”
Terming the PLA and MNPF “terrorists” and strongly condemning the attack, Biren Singh said that he has directed security forces to apprehend the perpetrators and punish them.
Biren had tweeted, “Devastated beyond words as I met the doctors at JNIMS mortuary to inquire about the post-mortem report of our brave jawans who had martyred in a ghastly attack yesterday. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families. Rest assured, the perpetrators will be brought to justice.”
Devastated beyond words as I met the doctors at JNIMS mortuary to inquire about the post-mortem report of our brave jawans who had martyred in a ghastly attack yesterday. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families.
Rest assured, the perpetrators will be brought to justice. pic.twitter.com/urLP4qRKaV
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) November 14, 2021
Defence sources said that after the wreath-laying ceremonies, the bodies of Colonel Tripathi and riflemen Suman Swargiary, Khatnei Konyak, R P Meena, and Shyamal Das were sent to their respective home states on Sunday.
The PLA and MNPF, in a joint statement on Saturday night, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they did not know that the Commanding Officer’s family was also in the convoy.
The incident took place near Sekhen village, as the militants first detonated IEDs and then fired on the convoy of 46 Battalion Assam Rifles, when Col Tripathi, along with his family members, was going to supervise a civic action programme in Churachandpur.
Police and intelligence officials have suspected that the guerillas came from Myanmar and after the attack, went back over the border. For the first time, the militants in the northeast killed the family members of a security force official.
Manipur has over 40 outlawed insurgent groups, a large majority of them lying low following their signing of separate suspension of operations agreements with the government. In 2015, 20 para-military personnel were killed in an attack by terrorists in Manipur, after which the Army had launched a surgical strike on their camps.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack and paid homage to the soldiers and family members who lost their lives in the ambush. “Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of sadness,” the PM wrote on Twitter.
Strongly condemn the attack on the Assam Rifles convoy in Manipur. I pay homage to those soldiers and family members who have been martyred today. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of sadness.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 13, 2021
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said the perpetrators of the attack would be brought to justice swiftly. “The cowardly attack on an Assam Rifles convoy is extremely painful and condemnable. The nation has lost five brave soldiers including CO 46 AR and two family members. My condolences to the bereaved families,” Singh said.
[With Inputs from IANS]
PGurus is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with all the latest news and views
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
