Help us help Manipur: Army after women-led mob forces militants’ release

The Indian Army said women activists in Manipur are blocking its operations in the crisis-hit state and interfering with their efforts to restore peace.

“Women activists in Manipur are deliberately blocking routes and interfering in the operations of security forces. Such unwarranted interference is detrimental to the timely response by security forces during critical situations to save lives and property.

The Indian Army appeals to all sections of the population to support our endeavours in restoring peace. Help us to help Manipur,” the Spear Corps of the Indian Army said in a tweet.

Women activists in #Manipur are deliberately blocking routes and interfering in Operations of Security Forces. Such unwarranted interference is detrimental to the timely response by Security Forces during critical situations to save lives and property.

The Army’s tweet came hours after the security forces were forced to release 12 cadres of the insurgent group Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) in Manipur’s Itham village as a mob of around 1,500 people, led by women and a local leader, surrounded the area.

Despite repeated appeals to the mob to allow the forces to proceed with the operation, their efforts were in vain, the army said. Considering the potential risks and casualties of using kinetic force against a large and hostile mob, particularly one led by women, a careful decision was made to hand over all 12 apprehended cadres to the local leader, the army said in a statement.

The forces left the area after lifting the cordon and confiscated the weapons from the insurgents.

The Army identified one of the individuals as self-styled Lieutenant Colonel Moirangthem Tamba, the mastermind behind the 2015 ambush that killed 18 soldiers of the 6th Dogra Regiment.

The Twitter post also tagged the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, the Eastern Command of the Indian Army and the Assam Riffles, emphasizing the importance of this message.