IMPHAL, June 21 –Top officials of the Indian Army have been visiting this border State since the past couple of weeks after they occupied the so-called “liberated zone” Sajik Tampak in the southern Chandel district bordering Myanmar. Army sources here said that the top officials of the Army have been visiting the State to take stock of the ongoing situation in this insurgency -prone region.
Sajik Tampak, more than 100 km south of Imphal, located in a hilly terrain of southern Chandel district of Manipur had been the stronghold of major underground outfits like Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), United National Liberation Front(UNLF) and Peoples’ Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak(PREPAK). This stronghold area of the underground outfits was recently occupied by the Indian Army and presently it was under a Brigade commander. This Brigade was shifted from Dimapur in the last week of April.
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, Kolkata Lieutenant General JS Verma also came on a two-day visit to Manipur from June 17, 2004. During his visit to the State the Army General called on Manipur Governor Arvind Dave and Chief Minister Okram Ibobi separately apart from meeting the brigade commanders of the army units here.
The Army general also discussed important aspects relating to the security situation and counter-insurgency operations, sources said. According to a Press Information Bureau(Defence Wing) statement, the General Officer was received by Lieutenant General Daljeet Singh VSM, General Officer Commanding, 3 Corps. The Army Commander took stock of the prevailing security situation in the State. He emphasised the importance of well-coordinated operations between the Army, Assam Rifles and the Civil Police authorities to ensure that the State is kept free from the writ of the militants and to effect measures wherein the militants be encouraged to join the national mainstream,the statement added.
It further added that in a conference of senior military commanders at Manipur Range Headquarters at Kangla, he discussed the situation in the State and gave guidelines for maintaining security. He met the Army and Assam Rifles troops, motivated them to keep up the good work being done to control insurgency while ensuring professionalism, joint operations, coordination with civil administration and cordial relations with the local population and emphasised on the Human Rights issues.
Late reports said, militants suspected to be members of the United National Liberation Front ambushed an Army post leading to heavy exchange of fire between the two sides at the border village of Sajik Tampak in Manipur’s Chandel district where troops are carrying out a special operation to flush out the ultras.