Manipur: Assam Rifles camp attacked, vehicles torched after search operation
A group of people attacked an Assam Rifles camp in Manipur's Senapati district on Tuesday night, setting three vehicles ablaze and vandalising property, hours after a search operation in the area, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at the paramilitary force's camp in Naga Taphou around 9:30 pm, when the attackers hurled stones and damaged barracks, according to officials.
The search operation was launched based on credible intelligence inputs regarding the presence of armed cadres near Makuilongdi, about 2 km west of the designated NSCN (IM) camp at Oklong, said a Defence PRO statement. The operation aimed to patrol and dominate the area.
"Intelligence reports and social media posts indicated the presence of armed cadres moving outside designated camps, carrying weapons and wearing uniforms, in apparent violation of established Ceasefire Ground Rules," an official said, adding that the violations were formally reported to the Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG).
During the operation, Assam Rifles columns approached Makuilongdi and Oklong villages, where residents, including women, obstructed them. Tensions rose, and around 9 pm, reports emerged of a large crowd gathering in Senapati town preparing to march towards the camp.
Even after the columns withdrew, the crowd reached the camp at 9:30 pm and attacked it, the statement said. The mob vandalised and damaged Assam Rifles vehicles: one light vehicle was set ablaze, two trucks were overturned and damaged, and a civilian car was also burnt, another official said.
In coordination with the Manipur Police, minimum force was used to disperse the violent crowd and prevent further escalation. Senapati Police and CRPF were immediately deployed to assist security personnel in controlling the situation, the statement added.
