Manipur Police Sub-Divisional Police Officer(SDPO) Anand Chingtham was shot dead on the 31st of October 2023. He was shot by a sniper while supervising the construction of a new helipad meant for security forces at the Eastern Shine School, Moreh. This new helipad became necessary because the route from the old helipad at Kongdong Lairembi to Moreh town was frequently blocked and interrupted by Kuki extremist women-folk [1].
Within 24 hours of this brutal murder, the state forces had started combing operations. The police team which went to normalise the situation at Moreh was ambushed at two locations injuring three security personnel. Security forces performing these combing operations did not find any armed terrorists. Even the designated Suspension of Operations (SoO) camps were found to be empty [2]. 32 Myanmarese illegal immigrants were arrested by security forces during these combing operations [3].
The Manipur police and State Commandoes arrested the main suspects Phillips K Khongsai and Hemkholal Mate in SDPO Anand’s murder on the 15th of January, 2023. Security personnel on patrol near Moreh College saw two people open fire on security vehicles at around 4.30 p.m. The attackers ran away and hid in a cluster of houses. Security personnel had fired in retaliation and cordoned off the houses in the area. The police statement said that “During the operation, the two suspicious individuals were chased and overpowered using minimal force” [4]. A pistol with two live rounds, a hand grenade, 10 live rounds of AK ammunition and 10 detonators were recovered from them [5]. A curfew had to be imposed to maintain some semblance of law and order.
The prime suspect Phillips Khongsai is an ex-Army man. He started serving in the 14th Assam Rifles regiment (Knight no 4367423) in 1999 and took pension in 2018 [17]. He is accused of being the co-founder of the newly formed Kuki terrorist group People’s Protection Force (PPF). SDPO Anand had a heated debate with the functionaries of PPF and an apex Kuki civil body of the Tengnoupal district regarding the clearing of the Eastern Shine ground on October 29th. According to the report of The FRONTIER MANIPUR, Philip Khongsai took position in a nearby Baptist Church and shot SDPO Anand to death [6].
Terrorists in Moreh are bringing in weapons experts and combat veterans from Myanmar to train the local Kuki-Chin youth [4]. A lot of sophisticated arms are being smuggled through the porous Moreh international border, including sniper rifles. The other suspect Hemkholal Mate was treasurer of the Tengnoupal District Unit of the Bharatiya Janta Party. The party had immediately expelled him and cancelled his membership [7].
Moreh: From Cosmopolitan Town to a so-called “Kuki Area”
The bustling trading town of Moreh had an eclectic mix of Meiteis, Nagas, Marwaris, Kukis, Gorkhas, Punjabis, Bengalis, Tamils and Biharis all living together in peace and harmony. The Kuki population in Moreh had been steadily growing due to the influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar. In May 1990, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi registered a landslide victory in Myanmar. However, the military junta refused to recognize it, and there was a large-scale mass protest; the military junta cracked down on the protestors, and thousands of Chin-Kukis migrated to Manipur. The Kukis of Moreh were emboldened by their increasing numbers and started collecting illegal tax and protection money from other communities [8].
The process of population transfer started with the Kuki-Naga clashes of 1992-94. The Naga population of Moreh was driven out and over 10,000 Nagas were forced to leave Moreh by 1994. Displaced Kukis from the Naga-dominated regions of Manipur had settled down in places like Moreh and Churachandpur, further increasing their numbers. The Kuki settlers were even provided with firearms and arms training by state entities to protect themselves from counter attacks by Nagas [9].
The arming of Kukis led to the growth of militancy among them. The Kuki youth started antagonising local communities by indulging in frequent acts of extortion, assault and shoplifting. The kidnapping and murder of the 7-year-old child of a Tamil businessman had led to the infamous Kuki-Tamil clashes of 1995. The Angala Parameshwari temple was attacked and defiled by the Christian Kuki extremists and properties of Tamilians were looted and destroyed. 80% of the local Tamil population were forcibly displaced [10]. Gorkha, Punjabi, Bengali, Bihari and Marwari businessmen and traders of Moreh became the next victims of Kuki terrorism. Kuki terrorists had started imposing monthly taxes on them and harassed them regularly. Within a few years, most of them were forced to leave Moreh.
The Kuki terrorists started harassing the native Meiteis of Moreh after the Kuki population had reached the halfway mark. Even Meitei households were forced to pay taxes. Vehicles leaving or entering Moreh had to pay extortion money. Such brutal persecution had created tensions between these two communities. The so-called “Kuki-Meitei” clash of 2007 was triggered when the Meiteis had resisted a shoplifting attempt by the Kuki terrorists. 11 Meitei people were killed and their shops and houses were burnt. Using the Meitei demand of ILP as a pretext, the next round of attacks were launched in 2015. Kuki extremist mobs had vandalised and destroyed shops and properties belonging to Meiteis and physically attacked them, not even sparing women and children.
The “Manipur Violence” of 2023 has cleansed the remaining Meitei population, completing the process of making Moreh a “Kuki Area”. Anything associated with Meitei culture or identity was burnt to ashes. The statue of Maharaja Nara Singh was burnt down to the ground and the centuries-old Ema Kongdong Lairembi temple was desecrated [9] [10]. Armed Kuki extremist mobs roamed around Moreh burning Meitei houses, till nothing was left standing. This horrible process was repeated over and over again for months. 44 houses and 6 shops of the remaining Tamil population were also burnt down. It is alleged that Kuki extremist mobs butchered at least a dozen Meitei men and women on May 3rd itself. The first casualty in Moreh was an old Meitei lady who was locked inside her house by Kuki extremists who proceeded to set the house on fire. She died a horrible death [10].
Lawless border town dominated by Myanmar-based Kuki-Chin terrorists
Thousands of Chin-Kuki illegal immigrants have replaced the indigenous Meiteis in Moreh. All of them are waiting to travel to the interior areas of the state where they can get their fake residential certificates from some Kuki village chiefs. These illegal immigrants include many terrorists belonging to the Myanmar-based People Defense Force (PDF). Several illegal villages have cropped up in this region which are full of combat veterans and illegal immigrants from Burma, particularly after 2016. Villages like Haolenphai, Sahei, Lyanphai are serving as training camps of the PDF. Older villages like Minou, Molcham, Joldam along with dozens of other unnamed villages cropping up along the PMGSY road have become safe havens for Kuki terrorists and illegal immigrants [11].
The presence of Chin-Kuki terrorists in Moreh became apparent on 26th June when they attacked our security forces with highly sophisticated weapons. Kuki extremists in the town started looting the few remaining shops and homes belonging to Meiteis. Kuki extremist women put up roadblocks and stopped the security forces from reaching the affected localities . The remaining non-Kuki residents of Moreh are being extorted ruthlessly and live in mortal fear of Kuki terrorists. The once vibrant town of Moreh has become a ghost town. The shops which escaped the widespread arson and looting are mostly shuttered. Many people roaming around the streets are clad in lungis – a telltale sign of their Myanmarese (Burmese) origin. They frown on anyone speaking Manipuri and many of them carry Myanmar currency [12].
A BSF constable was shot in the head in Moreh town on 28th May. Another BSF constable on sentry duty at Sugnu was felled by a single shot to his neck. Both of them were murdered by snipers. SDPO Anand Chingtham is yet another victim of Kuki terrorist snipers.
Just a few hours before the arrest of SDPO Anand’s suspected killers, the 10 Kuki MLAs had requested the Home Ministry to ensure the withdrawal of all state security forces from the so-called “Tribal Areas” [13]. It must be noted that the Manipur Police is an egalitarian institution having representation from several communities. Calling them a “Meitei Institution” is a blatant lie.
Shortly after the arrests, a large group of Kuki extremists had surrounded the Custom Police Station in Moreh, demanding their release. This group of miscreants were mostly women, with a few men leading them. They created a lot of chaos at the Custom Police Station and harassed on-duty security forces.
Certain Kuki civil society organisations like ITLF and COTU have vehemently condemned the arrest and detention of the two suspects. They claim that both of the accused people were ‘arrested arbitrarily’ from a group of protestors. They claim that “Meitei policemen” had fired five live rounds at them, injuring a couple of women. The Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal (KIT) had given a 24 hour ultimatum to release the two accused. According to the Joint Condemnation notice by the COTU and the ITLF: “If they are not freed within 48 hours, we will not allow the one-sided communal government favouring only the Meiteis in Kuki-Zo areas.”
The Ambush of 17th January
Manipur state commandoes in Moreh were ambushed by Kuki terrorists at around 3.30 a.m. near the Ema Kongdong Lairembi Temple. The security personnel were caught off-guard while sleeping near the temple. The attackers had descended from the hilltop of Chikim Village, using sophisticated weapons like RPGs and Snipers. W. Somorjit Singh and Takhellambam Shaileshwore Singh of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), who were deputed to the Manipur Commandoes, have attained veergati. 6 of our security personnel have been injured [14]. Takhellambam Shaileshwore Singh is the fourth victim of Kuki snipers. There was heavy exchange of gunfire between security forces and Kuki militants at Ward Number 7 and 9 of Moreh.
Eyewitness accounts of local people and security personnel say that Kuki terrorists had used 81 mm. mortar fire from multiple directions to keep the state security personnel pinned down. A viral video shows a Kuki terrorist threatening the Assam Rifles by pointing a gun at their armoured vehicle [15]. The Suspension of Operations Agreement (SoO) have raised near insurmountable obstacles for our security forces, who are trying their best to restore law and order.
In a letter to the Home Ministry, the Manipur government said that helicopters will come in handy to evacuate injured people from Moreh, and to send reinforcements and ammunition to the Bharat-Myanmar border town where police commandos are fighting Kuki terrorists [16]. The huge risk of ambush if sent by road to Moreh has forced the hand of the Government. The network of illegal villages in this region can act as ready bases for launching ambushes. The fundamental problem of the state forces facing highly trained combat veterans with military grade weapons like 81 mm. mortars and RPGs is not being addressed. Presence of Kuki protestors on the open road has further complicated the situation. Unknown miscreants had further added to the chaos by setting fire to the Mount Moreh school and a few other structures. Firetrucks from the neighbouring border town Tamu of Myanmar came to spray water on the burning buildings.
Innocent Meitei civilians are being targeted by Kuki terrorists at will – just yesterday, 4 farmers tilling their land were murdered in cold blood, including a father-son duo [18]. The deceased have been identified as Ningthoujam Nabadeep (40), Oinam Bamonjao (63), Oinam Manitomba (37) and Thiyam Somen (56) – they were killed by armed miscreants at Ningthong Kha Khunou in Bishnupur district around 2 pm on Thursday, and there are unconfirmed reports of the victims being tortured as well. In a separate incident earlier in the morning, a gunfight broke out between armed village volunteers at Kangchup in Imphal West district, where a 23-year-old identified as Takhelambam Manoranjan, a Meitei, was killed [18].
Last week, 4 Meitei men out gathering firewood were brutally killed in Kumbi Haotak area of Bishnupur district, which is adjacent to the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district. There was another father-son duo among these 4 victims – Oinam Romen Meitei aka Romen Singh (38), Thoudam Ibomcha Meitei aka Ibomcha Singh (51) and his son, Thoudam Anand Meitei aka Anand Singh (27), Ahanthem Dara Meitei (56) aka Dara Singh. [19]
The Moreh region is the gateway of our “Act-East” policy. Kuki terrorists calling the shots in his strategically important region is not good for Bharat’s national interests. The Kukis had contacted several foreign countries and anti-national groups like Khalistanis for help. They have also violated each and every term of the SoO Agreement dozens of times. The security forces have not been given a free hand to conduct their operations.
The Bharatiya Government must deal with terrorists and their sympathisers with an iron fist. Appeasement of Kukis for the sake of electoral benefits, or out of international compulsions to appear democratic must be stopped. The effectiveness of the SoO Agreement must be reviewed. Kuki terrorism must be nipped at the bud for the sake of our national security and geopolitical interests.
-By @VladAdiReturns
References
[1] MPS officer shot dead in Moreh (ifp.co.in)
[2] Designated camps of Suspension of Operation militants in Moreh found empty during combing operations – Report, Imphal Times (Evening Daily), Volume 8, Issue 643, Thursday November 2, 2023
[3] 32 illegal Myanmar immigrants arrested from Manipur’s Moreh – The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)
[5] Man Who Allegedly Shot Dead Senior Cop Chingtham Anand Arrested From Manipur Moreh (ndtv.com)
[10] Eyewitness accounts of the residents of Moreh
[11] Eyewitness account of local people and private road contractors
[14] https://twitter.com/manipur_police/status/1747701931215380962?t=3X9kntDbB5lzDIqRfX3chw&s=19
[17] Main suspects in Chingtham Anand, SDPO Moreh Assassination Case Arrested
[18] 5 civilians killed, 3 BSF personnel hurt in fresh round of Manipur violence
[19] Body of fourth man killed in suspected militant attack in Manipur found
