Manipur Violence: Assam Rifles Srikona clear air on rumours, rescue civilians and escort them to Cachar

Manipur is currently in the midst of a turbulent time as the state has been impaired by violence since May 3 when a Tribal Solidarity March headed by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM) for protesting against the granting of ST status to Meiteis led to clashes between the Kukis and Meiteis. Many pictures and videos of the violence are doing rounds on social media posted by people belonging to both the communities. A lot of them are also assumed to be fake or taken out of context. In one such viral video, a truck full of people could be seen carrying sophisticated weapons and marching ahead. However the armed forces have now clarified about the incident in a press release.

On May 5th, 2023, the Assam Rifles received information about a likely movement of armed people in a truck towards Jiribam town. Internal security columns immediately acted and a suspected truck was stopped at Jiribam-Tamenglong border, in which 51 locals were found hiding.

Upon investigation, it was found that these civilians were daily wage laborers and residents of Assam who were working in Manipur and were trying to escape the tense security situation. The troops of Assam Rifles safely rescued all innocent civilians and transferred them to Cachar.

The quick actions taken by the Assam Rifles not only rescued innocent civilians but also doused false rumors that were causing widespread panic in the Jiribam district. The forces are proactively maintaining peace and harmony in the region and taking all steps to prevent the spread of false rumors.

Manipur is currently in the midst of a turbulent time as the state has been impaired by violence since May 3 when a Tribal Solidarity March headed by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM) for protesting against the granting of ST status to Meiteis led to clashes between the Kukis and Meiteis. In such a situation the armed forces are carrying out evacuation operations in the state and helping people to move to their shelters and houses safely.

On May 5th, 2023, the Assam Rifles received information about a likely movement of armed people in a truck towards Jiribam town. Internal security columns immediately acted and a suspected truck was stopped at Jiribam-Tamenglong border, in which 51 locals were found hiding.

Upon investigation, it was found that these civilians were daily wage laborers and residents of Assam who were working in Manipur and were trying to escape the tense security situation. The troops of Assam Rifles safely rescued all innocent civilians and transferred them to Cachar.

The quick actions taken by the Assam Rifles not only rescued innocent civilians but also doused false rumors that were causing widespread panic in the Jiribam district. The forces are proactively maintaining peace and harmony in the region and taking all steps to prevent the spread of false rumors.