GUWAHATI: Imphal valley-based organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has written to Army chief General Manoj Pande demanding a probe into a January 17 incident where a group of Army personnel was “overpowered” by alleged Kuki militants.
A video had gone viral showing the personnel, travelling in a vehicle, retreating from an area, reportedly in Moreh near the India-Myanmar border, after the militants blocked their path and threatened them with guns, rocket launchers and other weapons.
COCOMI, which has been the voice of the Meiteis during the ethnic violence, said such visuals were never witnessed before.
“The incident not only undermines the integrity and authority of the armed forces but also poses a significant threat to national security. The incident represents an alarming departure from historical precedent, where never before has the Indian Army been so openly overpowered by armed groups, compelling them to retreat from their deployment area,” COCOMI wrote in the letter.
It urged the Army chief to personally intervene, oversee a comprehensive investigation and take prompt action to rectify the situation.
“The current criticism faced by the Indian Army in the region, compounded by the perceived indifference in the Assam Rifles’ handling of the situation, demands urgent attention,” COCOMI said.
It added, “Our armed forces have long been a source of pride and strength for the nation, and it is imperative to safeguard their reputation. The people of Manipur place their complete trust in your leadership, and we are confident that you will address this matter with the urgency and seriousness it warrants.”
Meanwhile, in the continued violence in the state, a BSF personnel sustained injuries in a gun attack in Sugnu area of Kakching district in the Imphal valley on Saturday.
The injured, head constable Som Dutt (45) from Himachal Pradesh, was hit by a bullet on his left shoulder. He was admitted to a hospital.
The ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis, which broke out on May 3 last year, has so far killed over 200 people and displaced 60,000 others.