The Manipur Police has issued a stern warning for people against the misuse of its black commando uniform after reports about armed rioters wearing the outfit came to light.
Officials said information has been circulated throughout all formations to ensure that the Manipur Police Commando uniform is not misused and they have been instructed to intensify the vigil.
Some videos have been doing the rounds over the past few days in which a few armed assailants were seen wearing the commando uniform. According to the police, the uniform seems to have been stolen during the uprising between the Meitei and Kuki communities witnessed in the state since May.
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The police have been asked to check any vehicle carrying security personnel, especially the India Reserve Battalion and Manipur Police, and their identity cards, the officials said.
They added that there have been occasions where even the police uniforms have been misused but such cases are less in number. Officials also urged the need to put an end to this practice as otherwise, the other community feels that the law enforcement agency is biased.
In June, there were reports of an advisory by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) that they had learnt of a tailor in Bishnupur district’s Moirang town who was contracted to stitch 500 Manipur Police commando uniforms.
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The 45,000-strong Manipur Police was vertically split after the ethnic clashes, with Meitei personnel in the force moving to Imphal Valley for safety and the Kuki personnel escaping to the hills.
Police gear and weapons have been stolen and at least two people were arrested in this connection, who said they had purchased them from the Imphal Valley.
In a related development, Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, in his first task after being appointed to the role recently, was to identify that nearly 1,200 personnel were missing from duty and complete the formalities of their "joining back duty".
The violence in Manipur has claimed over 150 lives so far.
