Only 17 people found at camp meant to house around 150 cadres; security forces took control after killing of three firewood collectors
Guwahati, Oct 25: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Sunday visited the Sinai camp in Kangpokpi district, a designated camp for Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, which was recently disarmed and taken over by security forces.
During the visit, the chief minister called for an end to the gun culture, saying Manipur could neither progress nor achieve lasting peace as long as violence and illegal arms continued to persist.
The camp, designated for cadres of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), was taken over by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) following a joint operation involving its CoBRA unit, Manipur Police and other security agencies.
The operation was launched in the aftermath of the killing of three firewood collectors at Nongshum in Imphal East district.
According to the state government, security personnel found only 17 individuals at the camp, who were allegedly impersonating registered SoO cadres using false identities. The camp was supposed to accommodate around 150 cadres.
The government described Khemchand Singh’s visit as the first by a sitting chief minister to a designated SoO camp.
Accompanied by government spokesperson and Heirok MLA Th. Radheshyam, the chief minister inspected the camp premises and received briefings from CRPF and Assam Rifles officers on the operation and the prevailing law and order situation.
Commending the CRPF’s CoBRA personnel for their role in the operation, Khemchand Singh stressed that security forces must exercise caution during search and combing operations to ensure that innocent civilians were not harmed.
He said the primary responsibility of the security forces was to protect the lives and property of the people.
The chief minister also appealed to the people of Manipur to shun violence, surrender illegal arms and work together to restore peace and harmony in the state.
Later, he interacted with civil society organisation representatives and villagers in the area.
Senior officials of the CRPF, Manipur Police and Assam Rifles, along with the Kangpokpi deputy commissioner and the superintendents of police of Kangpokpi and Imphal East, were present during the visit.
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