Manipur: Mob led by women forces security men to release 12 armed KYKL cadres soon after being caught

As many as 12 armed cadres of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) were apprehended in Manipur with arms, ammunition and war-like stores, but had to be soon released and handed over to the local leaders after a mob of around 1500, led mostly by women, stopped the security forces from carrying out the operation, Indian Army said in a statement.

Acting on specific intelligence, troopers of the Indian Army carried out a search operation in village Itham (06 km East of Andro) in Imphal East on Saturday morning, June 24. During the operation, they apprehended the 12 KYKL cadres.

Self-styled Lt Col Moirangthem Tamba alias Uttam, the mastermind of the 6 DOGRA ambush in Manipur’s Chandel district in 2015 that claimed the lives of 20 soldiers, was one of the apprehended cadres, said the Army statement.

But, the security forces had to release the cadres to local leaders after a mob of over 1200-1500 people led mostly by women, surrounded the target area and prevented them from continuing with the operation despite repeated appeals to the aggressive mob, the security forces said.

“Keeping in view the sensitivity of the use of kinetic force against a large irate mob and envisaged casualties due to such action, the officer on the ground made a considerate decision to hand over all 12 cadres to the local leader. Own columns lifted the cordon and left the area with weapons and war-like stores, recovered from insurgents. Mature decision on part of Operational Commander shows humane face of the Indian Army to avoid any collateral damage during the ongoing unrest in Manipur,” the Army said.

Indian Army appealed to the people of Manipur to assist the security forces in maintaining law and order to bring peace and stability in the state.

KYKL is a Meitei terrorist group which was formed in January 1994 to ‘rebuild’ the Manipuri society by clearing it of all vices like immoral activities, drug trade and corruption in the state.

The outfit primarily operates in Imphal East, Bishenpur, Thoubal and Imphal West.

It is said that the outfit has a close link with the Nagaland-based NSCN-IM.