Manipur Operation: One Killed, Two Security Personnel Injured in Clash with Village Guards

A 22-year-old village guard belonging to the Naga community was killed, and two personnel of the elite CRPF CoBRA Battalion sustained injuries during a counter-insurgency operation in Manipur's Noney district on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Lanbimei Riamei, son of Kadirang Riamei of Longmai Bazar. He died from bullet injuries sustained during the operation, according to official sources.

The operation was launched in the early hours at Biting village under Tupul subdivision following intelligence inputs about an alleged training camp of village guards from the Naga community, locally known as Naga Village Guard (NVG). A fierce exchange of fire reportedly occurred between security forces and the guards. The injured CoBRA personnel were identified as Head Constable Radheshyam and Constable Jitendra Kumar, who sustained minor splinter injuries and were evacuated for treatment. Their condition is reported to be stable. Three other alleged Naga village guards were also injured, though their identities have not been officially confirmed.

Additional reinforcements were rushed to the area, and security forces maintained a tight cordon while continuing combing operations. The Working Committee of the Joint Tribes Council, Manipur (WC-JTCM), representing the Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei, and Zeme communities, strongly condemned the operation. In a statement, WC-JTCM alleged that CoBRA personnel acted in collusion with members of ZUF-J during the operation and targeted Naga Village Guards, whom they described as local community defence volunteers. These allegations could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate response from security forces or the state government.

Following the incident, WC-JTCM announced an immediate emergency shutdown across areas inhabited by these communities. The shutdown affects National Highways, railway works, and other Central government projects, while exempting essential services such as healthcare, education, electricity, telecommunications, and water supply. The organisation stated that the shutdown will remain in force until the Government of India takes what it called "decisive and meaningful action" over the incident.

The operation comes amid intensified intelligence-based security operations across Manipur's hill districts following recent incidents of violence. Heavy deployment has been maintained in vulnerable areas. Local sources reported disruption of mobile communication services in parts of the Biting-Tupul area, though the reason could not be independently verified. Security deployment remained heavy in and around Biting village as search operations continued. Officials said a detailed assessment of the operation, including recoveries and casualties, would be released after its conclusion.