Manipur police file FIR against Assam Rifles for 'obstructing search ops', Army says unit keeping buffer zone sanctity

Imphal, August 8

Manipur Police have registered an FIR accusing the Assam Rifles of blocking their vehicle after an altercation between the two groups last week.

Security sources, however, described the FIR as a “travesty of justice” and said the Assam Rifles was undertaking a task given by the command headquarters of ensuring sanctity of the buffer zones between Kuki and Meitiei areas.

The FIR was filed on August 5 when police alleged that the Assam Rifles blocked police vehicles on the Kwakta Gothol road in Bishnupur district.

The FIR claimed the Assam Rifles stopped its personnel from proceeding when “the state police was proceeding Pholjang Road along Kwakta as follow up action to conduct search operations in an arms act case in search of Kuki militants.”

The police claimed that its personnel was stopped by 9 Assam Rifles which parked their ‘Casper’ vehicle blocking the road.

Defence sources reacted stating “Assam Rifles was undertaking a task given by the command headquarters of ensuring sanctity of the buffer zones between Kuki and Meitiei areas.”

Sources in Imphal secretariat said the Army was taking up the issue with the state government strongly at a high level.