The Manipur Government has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs for an Air Asset — a helicopter — in the wake of “continued exchange of fire between State police commandos and armed miscreants in border town of Moreh”, said a letter by T. Ranjit Singh, Commissioner (Home), Manipur. The letter added that one Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel was killed on Wednesday morning.
“The law and order situation at the border town of Moreh has become a matter of serious concern.... In view of the prevalent situation, the situation may deteriorate further in Moreh, and medical emergency may arise any time. The Police Department has also informed that there is also need for airlifting of security personnel, ammunition, etc. to Moreh,” the letter states.
“It is, therefore, requested that MHA may kindly provide MHA Air Asset (Helicopter) to the State Government and place it at Imphal immediately from today, for at least a period of 7 days to meet the emergency requirements,” it said.
The letter then requests the Centre to treat the issue as “very important and urgent”.
According to police, suspected Kuki militants attacked a security forces vehicle in the border town of Moreh in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district.
The deceased was identified as Wangkhem Somorjit an IRB personnel attached to state police commando in Moreh. Somorjit hails from Malom in Imphal West district, they said.
The security forces also exchanged fire with suspected Kuki militants in three different locations in Moreh town on Wednesday morning, police said.
The militants hurled bombs and fired at a post of security forces near SBI Moreh, police said, adding that the security forces retaliated the fire.
