A police convoy en route to Moreh as a reinforcement team in the aftermath of the killing of a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) was ambushed on Tuesday.
Three personnel of Manipur police sustained injuries in the ambush that occurred at Sinam village in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district at around 3 pm.
The injured police personnel have been identified as Head Constable Shirak Thuikhavang, S. Sekharjit Singh, and Leimapokpam Bangkim Meitei.
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Thuikhavang, 39, sustained serious bullet injuries to both his hand and abdomen while Singh, 29, sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. Bangkim Meitei also suffered a bullet injury to his leg.
The convoy was attacked hours after Moreh SDPO Chingtham Anand was shot at by miscreants at Moreh in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district. He was rushed to a primary health centre, where he succumbed to his injury. Following his death, additional forces were sent as reinforcement to Moreh town for operations against the armed miscreants.
The incident comes weeks after several civil society organisations, particularly those based in Moreh, demanded the removal of state forces from the border town.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that he was saddened by the ‘cold-blooded killing’ of the officer.
“Deeply saddened by the cold-blooded killing of SDPO Chingtham Anand, OC Moreh Police this morning,” Biren 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.”
Later an emergency cabinet meeting was called at CM’s office to condemn “the dastardly act in strongest terms” and it approved an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh as compensation to the dead officer’s family. “A suitable government employment shall also be provided to the next-of-kin of the deceased martyr,” said CM’s secretariat in a press release on Tuesday.