A combined team of 12 Grenadier, 167 Battalion BSF, Lamphel Police and Imphal West commandos on Friday conducted house-to-house search operations at Langol Phaipijang, Hebron Veng and Langol Aying Leikai.
The operation was led by Lt Col 12 Grenadier Manoj Aiyar and ASP (Ops) Imphal West M Amit Singh under the supervision of SP Imphal West S Ibomcha Singh. As many as 90 houses were searched and verified during the whole operation.
The operation was conducted in light of the present law and order situation in Manipur. The search operation started around 11 am and ended around 2 pm. No individuals were arrested or called for further investigation during the operation.
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Meanwhile, residents of Meitei Langol protested the biased nature in which the combing operations were conducted in the valley.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the protest, a protester highlighted that state forces were not allowed beyond a certain point in the search operation.
“The central forces barred state forces from taking part in the search operation beyond a certain spatial parameter; we do not know the intention of the central forces but the people are suspicious,” she said.
She expressed suspicion that the operation may be covered up to aid a particular community while demonising the other.
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She questioned whether the central forces were there to provide security or strike fear in the minds of the Meitei inhabitants in the region.
As such, she demanded authorities concerned to exchange the central forces with state forces to provide proper security in the area.
“No one has been hurt or tortured in connection with the tension in the Langol area but the step-motherly treatment of the central forces makes it seems like the Meitei are the culprits of the whole debacle,” she added.
