The army has deployed 2,000-plus personnel to trace the 56-year-old Meitei man missing from its camp in Imphal West district since November 25, according to the Manipur police.
In a statement issued late Monday night, the police said that a massive joint search operation by the Manipur police assisted by the Indian Army has been undertaken from November 25 to trace Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, reported missing since that day.
“The Indian Army has extended all support and resources to trace him utilising 2,000-plus troops, helicopters, drones and army tracker dogs. Further investigation using technical intelligence is being undertaken,” the police said.
Singh, from Assam’s Cachar district, was a supervisor for a contractor working with the Military Engineering Services at the Leim recent akhong Military Station of the 57th Mountain Division.
Protest over curbs
A protest was held at Churachandpur in Manipur on Tuesday against the Centre’s decision to scrap the free movement regime (FMR) and put up fences along the India-Myanmar border.
Kuki-Zos have been opposing the Centre’s decision since it was announced last year amid the ongoing conflict between the Kuki-Zos and the Meiteis which have left at least 258 dead since May 3, 2023.
On February 8, Union home minister Amit Shah announced the decision to scrap the FMR to ensure internal security and maintain the demographic structure of the northeastern states, two days after he had announced fencing the porous India-Myanmar border.
The BJP-led Manipur government, which was pushing for the fencing, welcomed the decision. The Meiteis believe the cause of the current unrest is illegal migration from Myanmar, including breaches by armed militants.
The Mizoram and Nagaland governments and the Kuki-Zos in Manipur are not in favour of the Centre’s move because the Kuki-Zos, the Mizos and the Nagas live on either side of the international border with Myanmar sharing family and economic ties.
Three Kuki-Zo organisations submitted a memorandum to Shah urging the Centre to “revoke” its order to scrap the FMR, halt the proposed construction of fencing “in public interest”, make the border insurgent-free and stop illegal trade.
