Manipur Police denies COTU's charges of security forces collaborating with militants

Imphal: Manipur Police rejected the allegations by Kuki organisation that security forces collaborated with insurgent groups in Moreh town where incidents of violence were reported recently.

Moreh is a town bordering Myanmar and it has been alleged by the state government that miscreants from the neighbouring country are fomenting trouble in the northeastern state.

"The allegation of the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) and the Kuki Inpi Manipur regarding collaborations with valley-based insurgent groups and Meitei militants disguised as security force personnel in Moreh is not true. The allegations are baseless and misleading," the police said in a statement.

Two police commandos were killed on January 17 in militant attacks in Moreh, while several others were injured.

Kuki organisations alleged that surrendered valley-based insurgents were allowed to "mix freely" with the state police.

Manipur has been rocked by ethnic strife since May last year and more than 180 people were killed.

The violence erupted on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.