National

Manipur: Abducted Senior Cop Rescued In Swift Op; Army, Assam Rifles Deployed Amid Fresh Tension

On Tuesday, ASP Amit Kumar, posted with the Operations Cell of the Manipur Police, was abducted from his residence in Wangkhei by a group of Arambai Tenggol members who came firing shots.

File Image
Army Called In Amid Fresh Tension In Manipur; Assam Rifles Deployed After Senior Cop Abducted Briefly Photo: File Image
info_icon

Manipur additional superintendent of police abducted by the Meitei activist organisation Arambai Tenggol has been rescued safely in a swift operation launched by the security forces.

The officer has been admitted to a hospital where his condition is stated to be stable.

On Tuesday, ASP Amit Kumar, posted with the Operations Cell of the Manipur Police, was abducted from his residence in Wangkhei by a group of Arambai Tenggol members who came firing shots.

The Army was called in as fresh tension mounted in Manipur on Tuesday and four columns of the Assam Rifles were deployed in Imphal East after a senior police officer was abducted allegedly by cadres of the Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei organisation, from his residence, officials said.

About the incident

According to the officials who shared the details, the incident took place around 7 pm on Tuesday. It has been told that a group of cadres owing allegiance to the Arambai Tenggol attacked the house of Kumar at Wangkhei in Imphal East.

The reason for this indiscriminate firing was that the officer concerned had arrested six members of the group for their alleged involvement in vehicle theft, the officials said.

Following the arrests, a group of Meira Paibis (Meitei women group) had protested and blocked roads demanding their release.

In the Tuesday evening attack, armed cadres allegedly belonging to the Arambai Tenggol ransacked the house and damaged at least four vehicles with gunfire, they said.

Detailing the chaotic events, M Kulla, the police officer's father, explained, "We tried to talk to the armed men after they entered, but all of a sudden they started firing at the vehicles and properties. So we had to rush inside and lock ourselves."

The father, according to the officials, called his son and informed about the incident.

The officer rushed with his team only to be abducted as they were outnumbered by the cadres allegedly belonging to the Arambai Tenggol.

The Manipur Police acted promptly, mobilising forces to launch a successful rescue operation, ensuring Kumar's safe return within hours. 

The state government had to take help of the Army as the situation worded after the rescue efforts. 

Officials said that four columns of the Assam Rifles were requisitioned and deployed around the area where the incident took place. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is not applicable in valley areas.