Manipur: Armed miscreants convert TATA 407 to resemble AR vehicles for nefarious design

The Headquarters of 27 Sector, Assam Rifles, has wrote to the Superintendent of Police, Churachandpur district, informing him the Meitei armed miscreants' nefarious intention to tarnish the image of Assam Rifles by converting civil TATA 407 vehicles to resemble the security force vehicle or to utilize the same vehicles for anti-national activities.

In the wake of ethnic violence in the State, there are reported instances of armed miscreants donning in camouflage uniforms with sophisticated weapons in attacking the other community, a challenge for central security forces in buffer zones between the warring communities.

On September 18, the Assam Rifles informed Police that the conversion of civil TATA 407 vehicles into Assam Rifles vehicle pattern by putting ASSAM RIFLES insignia may pose security threat.

In its letter to Churachandpur SP, HQ 27 Sector AR stated that few Meitei miscreants with the help of valley based insurgent groups (VBIGs) have acquired many used TATA 407 from civil market and have converted them to resembled like TATA 407 vehicle being used by Assam Rifles by painting and putting the ASSAM RIFLES insignia.

The Assam Rifles stated that the modified or painted vehicles are learnt to have been located at the general area of Kakching

"Conversion of civil vehicle to lookalike of ASSAM RIFLES vehicle clearly shows the nefarious intention of VBIGs to tarnish the image of ASSAM RIFLES or to utilize the same vehicle for anti-national activities," Assam Rifles stated.

The central security force requested Churachandpur SP to disseminate the input to the SP, Kakching and to the higher authorities so that a preemptive action can be taken to avert any kind of adverse incident.

Meanwhile, Search Operation, Movement of Essential Items and Naka Checking were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of Bishnupur, Thoubal and Churachandpur districts on Saturday.

As per police source, movement of 278(two hundred seventy-eight) vehicles along NH-37 and 68 (sixty-eight) vehicles along NH-2 with essential items have been ensured and strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable locations and security convoy is provided in sensitive stretches in order to ensure free and safe movement of the vehicles.

A total of 133 Nakas/ Checkpoints were installed in different Districts of Manipur, both in the hill and the valley and Police detained 1291 persons in connection with violations in different districts of the State.