Mob attacks Assam Rifles camp in Manipur after search operation

Tensions flared in Manipur's Senapati district on Tuesday night after a mob targeted an Assam Rifles camp in Senapati town following a search operation by the security force. Officials said the crowd gathered after the operation was launched in connection with suspected armed cadres of the NSCN(IM) in the area. The incident involved stone pelting, arson and vandalism, according to the confirmed account from defence officials.

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A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the Assam Rifles had carried out an area domination patrol and search operation based on credible intelligence about the presence of armed cadres in the general area of Makuilongdi, about 2 kilometres west of the designated NSCN(IM) camp at Oklong in Senapati. The spokesperson said intelligence inputs and social media posts indicated armed cadres were moving outside designated camps in violation of ceasefire ground rules. The official Ceasefire Monitoring Group was also formally informed about the operation.

Officials said the Assam Rifles columns approaching Makuilongdi and Oklong villages were obstructed by residents, including women, during the operation. The force said it exercised maximum restraint and spoke with local representatives, telling them the operation was intended to maintain security and peace and that it would not enter any village without the consent of the authorities. Later, around 9 pm, a large crowd gathered in Senapati town and began marching towards the camp, prompting security forces to use blank rounds and teargas grenades to disperse the mob.

The violence escalated as the crowd reached the camp area. Officials said some members of the mob pelted stones and attempted arson, while others vandalised and damaged Assam Rifles vehicles during the retreat. One light vehicle was set ablaze, two trucks were overturned and damaged, and a civil car was also reportedly burnt.

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The Senapati police and the Central Reserve Police Force were deployed alongside the security forces, and the crowd was dispersed by midnight. The incident is significant because it comes in a region where security operations, local sensitivities and ceasefire arrangements can quickly intersect. The NSCN(IM) has been in a ceasefire agreement with the Centre since 1997, and the reported movement of cadres outside designated camps is treated as a breach of the established ground rules.

That makes the formal reporting of the operation to the ceasefire monitoring mechanism an important part of the response. Manipur has seen repeated security tensions linked to armed group activity, local protests and the presence of multiple security agencies. In this case, the immediate trigger was a search operation tied to suspected cadre movement near Makuilongdi and Oklong, but the wider issue is the enforcement of ceasefire terms and the management of public anger around such operations.

Officials said the situation in Senapati was peaceful after the crowd dispersed, but they did not provide any report of injuries. What remains unclear is whether any arrests were made or whether the search operation led to any direct contact with suspected cadres. It is also not yet clear whether the damage to vehicles and property will lead to further police action or additional security measures in the area.

#Manipur #Senapati #AssamRifles #NSCNIM #ceasefire

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