Following a clash between a women-led mob and security forces that cordoned off Itham village in Imphal East, where a dozen members of the KYKL militant group were hiding, the army took a “mature decision” not to risk civilian lives and left with seized weapons and ammunition, officials said on Sunday.
Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), a Meitei militant group, has been involved in a number of attacks, including the 2015 ambush of Unit 6 Dogra, they said.
The standoff in Itham lasted throughout Saturday and ended after “a mature decision by the operational commander who took into account the sensitivity of using kinetic force against a large angry mob led by women and the likely casualties resulting from such an action”, they added.
Among those holed up in the village was self-styled Lt. Col. Moirangthem Tamba alias Uttam, a wanted terrorist who may have masterminded the Dogra ambush tragedy, officials said.
A 1,500-strong mob led by women surrounded the army convoy and prevented the forces from continuing the operation, they said.
“Repeated appeals to the aggressive mob to let the security forces continue the operation as per the law did not yield any positive result,” officials said.
The Army decided to leave in view of the need to “avoid any collateral damage during the ongoing unrest in Manipur”.
More than 100 people have so far lost their lives in ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state.
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