Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
At least four civilians were injured during a confrontation between protesters and personnel of the Assam Rifles in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Sunday, following opposition to the establishment of a new Assam Rifles outpost in New Heaven village, officials said.
According to the Ukhrul district police control room, the incident took place around 4 pm at New Heaven village under the jurisdiction of Sansad Police Station.
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Villagers alleged that around 40 Assam Rifles personnel stationed at Lambui village attempted to set up an outpost at New Heaven without prior consultation with the village authorities. In response, local residents, including women and student bodies, staged a protest demanding that construction work be halted.
The situation reportedly turned tense when security personnel moved to disperse the demonstrators. Officials said that during the crowd-control operation, Assam Rifles personnel fired several live rounds and resorted to a lathi charge, resulting in injuries to at least four civilians.
Residents claimed that the security forces acted in the absence of an executive magistrate and accused personnel of using force against women protesters. Several villagers, including the president of a student organisation, were reportedly injured during the confrontation.
Protesters demanded the immediate removal of the Assam Rifles outpost, alleging a breakdown of trust between the local community and the security force. They also expressed concerns over the safety of their lives and property.
Confirming the incident, Ukhrul district police stated that the situation was currently under control but remained tense. “The Assam Rifles has occupied the outpost forcibly; however, there is tension in law and order in the area,” a police official said.
The latest unrest comes amid heightened tensions in Ukhrul district following a series of violent incidents in recent weeks. Since the twin ambushes on May 13 in Kangpokpi and Noney districts that left four civilians dead, including three church leaders, security concerns have intensified across the region.
In the aftermath of those attacks, 48 civilians from different communities were reportedly taken hostage. While several were released, civil society organisations claim that a number of hostages remain in captivity.
The security situation further deteriorated on May 29 when armed miscreants ambushed a goods convoy along National Highway-202 connecting Imphal and Nagaland. The attack claimed the life of a truck driver from West Bengal and left a Manipur Police personnel injured.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation in Ukhrul district as tensions continue to simmer over security deployments and ongoing inter-community concerns.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
