Gunmen attack Manipur additional SP’s home

GUWAHATI: Unidentified gunmen fired several rounds at private

residence

of a

police officer

of the rank of additional SP in Manipur’s

Imphal East district

on Tuesday and damaged four vehicles parked on the premises.
Nobody was harmed in the attack, police said even as conflicting reports emerged of the officer being kidnapped and later rescued.

Official version is that additional SP M Amit Singh wasn’t home when the assailants forced their way into the compound of his house at Wangkhei Thangjam Leikai. As gunshots rang out, family members of the officer cowered inside, sources said.

A PTI report, quoting officials in Imphal, said the officer attached to “operations cell of Manipur Police was taken away from his residence in Wangkhei by members of Arambai Tenggoll, a Meitei organisation, who came firing shots”.

He was rescued by a police contingent within hours, the report said.

“Alarmed by gunshots, the officer’s father contacted his son, who rushed to the scene with a small team. The outnumbered cops were unable to prevent the kidnapping. Manipur Police quickly mobilised forces and launched a successful rescue operation.”

Unconfirmed reports said the officer suffered minor injuries and was taken to a private hospital in Imphal.

A defence spokesperson said that acting on specific intelligence about weapons and ammunition illegally stored in Sabungkhok Khunao-Chanung heights in Imphal East, a joint team of Army, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police launched a search operation and seized a single-barrel gun, three improvised mortars, a 9mm pistol, three grenades and ammunition.
According to a PTI report, Army was called in as fresh tension mounted in Manipur on Tuesday and four columns of Assam Rifles were deployed in Imphal East, officials said. Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is not applicable in valley areas.