A Manipur police officer was ambushed and shot dead by suspected militants in Moreh on Tuesday morning, indicating that the ethnic unrest in the northeastern state that began in May is far from over.
The incident took place when Moreh Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Chingtham Anand was inspecting a newly constructed helipad at the Eastern ground in the border town.
The SDPO was taken to a primary health centre in Moreh where he succumbed to his injury. The police have launched an operation to apprehend the militants.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that he is saddened by the ‘cold-blooded killing’ of Anand.
“Deeply saddened by the cold-blooded killing of SDPO Chingtham Anand, OC Moreh Police this morning,” Singh wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “His dedication to serve and protect the people will always be remembered. The perpetrators will be brought to justice.”
According to PTI, the incident comes days after members of several civil society organisations, particularly those based in Moreh, demanded the removal of state forces from the border town.
Manipur has witnessed widescale violence after clashes first broke out on May 3 in Churachandpur town. The clashes took place after tribal groups called for protests against a proposed tweak to the state’s reservation matrix, granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to the Meitei community.
At least 175 people have died and over 50,000 have been displaced in the state since then.