CRPF jawan killed in militant attack in Manipur; Guv, CM condemn act

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan was killed in a gun attack by suspected militants at Mongbung village in Manipur's Jiribam district on Sunday morning, police said.

A policeman also suffered injuries and he has been admitted to a hospital, they said.

The deceased has been identified as Ajay Kumar Jha, 43, a resident of Bihar.

He suffered bullet injuries in the head and was declared brought-dead in hospital. The injured policeman is undergoing treatment, but he is out of danger, a police officer said.

In a post on X, Anusuiya Uikey condemned the heinous act of violence and prayed for the departed soul.

Governor Miss @AnusuiyaUikey is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a brave CRPF soldier in the Jiribam ambush by suspected insurgents. She extends her heartfelt condolences to the soldier's family, the Raj Bhavan said in a post.

Governor Uikey honors the soldier's courage and dedication to duty, and prays for his soul to rest in peace. She also strongly condemns this heinous act of violence and asserts that such actions will not be tolerated in Manipur, it said.

The state is committed to ensuring justice and maintaining peace and security, the post said.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh, too, denounced the attack and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

I strongly condemn the killing of a CRPF personnel in an attack carried out by an armed group, suspected to be Kuki militants, in Jiribam district today.

His supreme sacrifice in the line of duty shall not go in vain. I further extend my sincere condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased soldier, while praying for the speedy recovery of the ones injured during the attack, Singh said.

Gunshots were reportedly heard in the village on Saturday night, too, the officer said.

Additional security forces have been deployed at Mongbung from adjacent hill areas following Sunday's attack, another official said.

A vehicle belonging to security personnel has been damaged in the gun attack that took place around 9.40 am, he added.

Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of Kukis in the state, condemned the act of violence and dubbed it as a "state-sponsored attack."

Manipur has been rocked by ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities since May last year, which has claimed more than 200 lives.