Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh Vows Action Following Fatal Shooting of SDPO in MorehManipur’s Chief Minister, Nongthombam Biren Singh, has expressed his strong commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice after the tragic shooting of Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Chingtham Anand Kumar, in Moreh, a town situated on the India-Myanmar border. The incident occurred when SDPO Kumar was on duty, supervising the clearing of a school ground, in preparation for the construction of a helipad, a joint initiative involving the State police and the Border Security Force. It was during this operation that suspected Kuki militants opened fire on him, leadingto his unfortunate demise at a local primary health centre.
Moreh, where Kuki residents form the majority, has recently witnessed demands from various organizations for the withdrawal of State forces from the region. This incident prompted an emergency meeting of the Manipur Cabinet to address the escalating law-and-order situation. The Cabinet recognized that this act of extremism occurred at a time when both Kuki and Meitei communities were displaying restraint, allowing peace to prevail for several months.
In an official statement issued after the Cabinet meeting, it was lamented, “While a sense of normalcy was slowly settling in, an MPS officer has been killed today in unprovoked firing by armed Kuki militants.”
To provide support to the bereaved family, the Cabinet approved an ex-gratia payment of ₹50 lakh and pledged a suitable government job. Additionally, it instructed the security forces to collaborate in launching a joint operation in Moreh and its surrounding areas with the aim of apprehending the culprits.
Furthermore, the Cabinet decided to deploy additional state forces to Moreh and declared a ban on the presence of illegal armed personnel in and around the town, considering its strategic significance within India’s Act East Policy framework.
The Cabinet also noted the release of a press statement by the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council on October 24, urging the Kuki-Zo community to maintain an ample stockpile of arms and ammunition in preparation for a potential conflict before the November harvesting season. The statement highlighted the youth volunteers’ role in frontline combat, with the national army/underground (UG) groups joining them only in critical situations, as the Kuki National Army/UG groups are restricted from freely participating in the war due to the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement.
