IMPHAL: The army has begun a massive crackdown on armed insurgents in all the five hill districts of Manipur, according to highly-placed official sources,
The sources said that troops supported by para military forces had moved into the interior hill areas and launched combing operations at different places besides searching suspected areas in an attempt to track down underground activists. Sources said security forces launched frisking and checking of passers-by at several places to intercept the movement of armed insurgents and more security personnel were rushed to places where insurgents or anti-socials elements were reportedly taking shelter,
The continuing Kuki-Naga clashes have claimed over 400 lives in the past two years besides burning over 400 houses. The previous five-party Congress-led government had utterly failed to either control the situation or protect innocent lives, intelligence sources said,
Meanwhile, security forces have sealed exit routes of the underground members and patrolling in hill areas has been intensified to check the movement of different underground members, sources said.
The Kuki National Front and Kuki National Army were also active in certain parts of hill areas but there was 50 far no report of any arrest from any part of the hill districts.
The sources said the police, Manipur Rifles and CRPF personnel have stepped up patrolling and search operations in three valley districts Imphal, Thoubal and Bishen pur to contain insurgent activities unleashed by valley-based underground organization..
In the valley, at least four underground organizations-the United National liberation Front (UNLF), Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Pre-Pak) and Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) are operating in the three districts.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 14, 1994
