Confusion over alert on ‘entry of 900 Kuki militants’

The Army on Sunday (September 22, 2024), through a social media post, sought information from Manipur security adviser Kuldiep Singh to provide details on intelligence regarding the alleged entry of 900 Kuki militants from Myanmar on September 28. The post on X was later deleted.

The post on X by Spear Corps, Indian Army said, “These inputs have very serious security implications and the office of Security Adviser has been requested to share the details so that appropriate necessary action can be taken at the earliest.”

A defence source said the inputs were yet to be shared with the Army.

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Mr. Singh, while addressing a press conference in Imphal on September 20, had said the government was aware of intelligence inputs regarding the entry of “900 Kuki militants” on September 28 and “unless it is proven wrong it is 100% correct.”

The inputs were first shared by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s office with the Director General of Police and the security adviser last week, a copy of the leaked letter showed.

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A Manipur government source said the security adviser did not say that the inputs shared by the Chief Minister’s office had been verified. “What he meant was that if an information has come from the office of the Chief Minister, it cannot be taken lightly. In the wake of the input, alerts were sent to all district police chiefs and also the Assam Rifles and the Army. Ground units have been asked to check the veracity of the message which specifically mentioned September 28 as the date of entry of Kuki militants from Myanmar,” the source said.

Inputs trigger panic

The source added that the press conference was convened as the inputs had spread panic among the people in the Valley districts and it was pertinent to provide accurate information to the people.

“A narrative was being built that 900 Kuki militants have entered the State, which is not correct. The idea was to assure the people that the security agencies had taken cognisance of the intelligence inputs and steps were being taken on the ground to thwart any such movement if at all it happens. The security adviser’s statement was misinterpreted to state that it was 100% correct that militants have entered from Myanmar,” the source said.

The 1,643 km India-Myanmar border runs along the States of Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km) and Mizoram (510 km).

Assam Rifles (AR), which is under the operational control of the Army, is the primary border guarding force deployed along Myanmar. There are around 60,000 security personnel deployed in Manipur currently which includes, Army, AR, Manipur Police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).

Meitei groups have often accused AR of partisan conduct and demanded their removal from the State. Meitei civil society groups and legislators have alleged that in many “sensitive areas”, Assam Rifles are not responsive and remain mute spectators when unarmed civilians are indiscriminately fired upon frequently. The Kuki-Zo groups on the other hand accuse the Manipur police and the State administration of inaction when they are attacked.

At least 237 people have been killed in the ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo and the Meitei people since May 3, 2023. More than 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes.