Manipur Terror Attack : Full Case Study

 

What Has Occurred?  

• The Assam's Rifles Unit Commanding Officer, his wife, son, and four other soldiers were killed in a militant attack in the Singhat sub-division of Manipur's Churachandpur district.
• The identity of the deceased martyrs was Suman Swargiary, Khatnei Konyak, RP Meena & Shyamal Das.
• Colonel Viplav Tripathi (CO- 46 AR) and his family died on the spot. At the same time, they took the other injured jawans to the Behiang Primary Health Centre.
• The convoy of the 46 Assam Rifles Commandant Colonel Viplav Tripathi entrapped while returning to the Battalion headquarters following a visit Friday to a Company base in Behiang.
• Many people have tweeted about it, including our Prime Minister, and the opposition called it a "coward attack."
• Before this, the Colonel was posted in Mizoram. The battalion carried out significant seizures of drugs and several other successful operations. It disrupted the smuggling, including narcotics along the Hinterland and Myanmar border.
• Assam Rifles said, " The battalion has also recovered several weapons and war-like stores which could have landed in the hands of anti-national elements thus avoiding major casualties,"
• His battalion has also conducted many anti-drug campaigns in Jan 2021 received glory.
• Golden Crescent (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan) is the most critical place for drugs. The other is Golden Triangle (Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Laos), where the smuggling is really high compared to the other parts. 
• Colonel Viplav Tripathi was successful in bringing these activities down to much extent.

When And How The Attack Followed? 

• The time of the attack was around 11 am. 
• Sources said the convoy was firstly hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) targeted the vehicle in which Col Tripathi was traveling with his family.
• The blast was followed by several minutes of burst fires by hiding militants, suspected to be what the Army terms as 'Valley Based Insurgent Groups.'
• The QRT (Quick Reaction Team), part of the convoy, was also hit, but the fire occurred.

First Major Attack Since 2018 ; 

• The first significant attack in Manipur on security forces was on 4 June 2018 when a convoy came under attack in the Chandel district.
• The attack has resulted in the death of 18 personnel of the ROP (Road Opening Patrol) of the 6 Dogra Regiment of the army.
• It's the first time in the past that the family of a serving Army Officer has been targeted.

Who Is Responsible For This?

• PLA (People's Liberation Army) & MNPF (Manipur Naga People's Front) have claimed their responsibility for the attack in a joint release on Saturday.
• "Unfortunately, the cadres of the two outfits who carried out the attack were not aware that Colonel Viplav Tripathi's wife and his son were part of the convoy," said the joint release.
• They also added that "Indian security forces should not bring their families to a place which has been declared by the government as a disturbed area."

Purpose Of The Attack ;

• The Assam Rifles Statement said that it suspected that the insurgent group was responsible for this massacre.
• " Must be from PREPAK (People's Revolutionary Party Of Kangleipak) cadre as the PREPAK Remembrance Day which is celebrated on 12/13 November 2021."
• A joint statement released Saturday evening by the PLA & MNPF said that the attack was to protect our people and that they were revolting against the attempts to suppress the rights of our land and the people.'
• " We are not going to sit silently till we get our rights and our sovereignty," they said.

AIM OF PLA :

• Established by - N Bisheshwar Singh 
• Date - 25 September 1978
• AIM - To liberate Manipur and demand "SEPERATION" FROM INDIA.
• N Bisheshwar Singh separated from UNLF ( United National Liberation Front) and formed this group.
• Principles - Marxism- Leninism and Mao's Thoughts.
• Supported by - Naga revolutionaries and MPLF (Manipur People's Liberation Front)

Main Concerns : 

• PLA is the oldest and powerful insurgent group from Manipur.
• Operates out of MYANMAR
• The district named Churachandpur has been peaceful since 2003-2004 when an Army operation was carried out driving valley-based groups into Myanmar.
• The other insurgent groups and government is surprised by this attack.

Who Are Assam Rifles? 

• It is the OLDEST paramilitary force in the country.
• It was known as "Friends Of The Hill People."
• Now known as " Friends Of The North East People."
• Raised in - 1835
• Administrative jurisdiction - MHA (Ministry Of Home Affairs) 
• Operational control - Indian Army.
• Battalions in AR - 46
• Personnel - 60,000- 70,000
• AR's Job - To counter-insurgency and hold border security operations.
• AR is also guarding the Indo- Myanmar Border since 2002, which is 1,643 km long. 

In 2015, Home Ministry approved to provide martyr status to soldiers from paramilitary forces who die in the line of duty.

REFERENCES - https://indianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/documents/claws06011119.pdf

                             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQvmtSkoEaA