Correspondent
IMPHAL, Jul 9: Manipur home minister Govindas Konthoujam has said that a new security operational strategy will be put in place to counter insurgency in the state.
The decision to introduce the new strategy was taken in a recent security review meeting chaired by onthoujam in the backdrop of the deadly ambush in Ukhrul district that killed two personnel of the Assam Rifles on July 6 last, the home minister said.
Talking to the reporters on the sideline of a sports event opening function in Bishnupur district, Konthoujam said that after the deadly ambush, he reviewed the security situation of the state with top officials of the state and Central security forces.
Director General (DG) of the CRPF GP Singh, who is currently on an official visit in the state, was among the top officials of the security agencies who attended the meeting.
After reviewing the security scenario of the state, the meeting stressed the need for strengthening the security forces engaged in the counter-insurgency operations in the state.
After a thorough deliberation on the subject, the meeting decided to introduce a new security operational strategy, the home minister said.
“Even if it takes time, there is strong confidence that the new approach will be successful,” Konthoujam said.
The Centre recently deployed two battalions of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), an elite unit of the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) in Manipur to bolster security operations in the state besieged by protracted violent conflict involving armed elements.
The home minister said that CoBRA commandos were deployed to strengthen the counter-insurgency operations in the state.
Distribution of the units of the CoBRA commandos across the state has already started but they are yet to be fully engaged in the operations due to shortages in the logistical infrastructures, he said.
Once the logistical infrastructures are fully developed, they will be engaged fully in the counter-insurgency operations, the home minister said.
Asserting that the present government is giving top priority in the restoration of peace and normalcy, Konthoujam said that public cooperation is a must in this regard. To a query on the recent deadly ambush on a convoy of the Assam Rifles in Ukhrul district, the home minister said that investigations to identify the perpetrators is in progress while expressing hope that they will be brought to justice at the earliest.
Terming the ambush as unfortunate, the home minister asserted that the security forces were here to safeguard the life and property of the citizens, adding that hectic efforts were on to identify and nab the perpetrators.
The home minister said that till date, it has not been established as to which armed group was responsible for the ambush. However, the NSCN(IM) had already clarified that cadres of the outfit were not involved.
Security operations will be continued until the perpetrators are identified and nabbed, he added.
It may be recalled that two personnel of the Assam Rifles were recently killed in an ambush by suspected militants on NH-202 (Imphal-Ukhrul Road) near Nungshang Kong (Lungshang River) under Ukhrul police station in the afternoon of July 6 last.