Precision shot, fired from distance: Officers flag worry over BSF jawans’ killings in Manipur
Concerning for the security establishment in Manipur is the manner in which they appear to have been killed — pinpoint firing from a distance.
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On Tuesday morning, Ranjit Yadav, a BSF jawan on sentry duty at Serou Practical High School in Sugnu, was shot dead by “suspected Kuki militants”, according to Manipur police. A week before a BSF jawan was killed in Manipur’s Kakching district on Tuesday, a similar killing of another jawan from the force took place in the border town of Moreh just ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the violence-hit state. But more concerning for the security establishment in Manipur is the manner in which they appear to have been killed — pinpoint firing from a distance.
Sources said since Kuki insurgent groups are not known to use snipers, forces are now trying to figure out if armed groups, largely civilians, have got any training in precision firing. It is not yet clear who shot the two jawans as no arrest has been made in the cases.
On Tuesday morning, Ranjit Yadav, a BSF jawan on sentry duty at Serou Practical High School in Sugnu, was shot dead by “suspected Kuki militants”, according to Manipur police. Following this, an exchange of fire took place between a combined contingent of BSF and Assam Rifles with suspected militants, in which two Assam Rifles personnel sustained injuries.
Constable Ranjit Yadav succumbed to bullet injuries at a hospital. (PTI Photo)
“The jawan was standing on the terrace of the building wearing a bulletproof jacket and helmet. He was hit in the neck in precision firing. The fire came from adjoining hills. It does not appear to be the handiwork of untrained hands. But then SoO groups are not known to use snipers,” a security establishment officer in Manipur said.
SoO refers to the ‘Suspension of Operation’ pact signed between Kuki militant groups and the government on August 22, 2008.
The officer pointed to another killing in Moreh of Tengnoupal district on May 28, a day ahead of Shah’s visit to the state and the period when violence in the state had spiked again after the initial upheavals of May 3-4.
Sources in the BSF said that one of the force’s constables, Narendra Kumar posted in Moreh, had sustained bullet injuries in the head and died the next day at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. “The jawan, along with other security force personnel, was talking to a group of women protesting in the Moreh town to persuade them to move. Suddenly, a bullet hit him and he collapsed,” a BSF officer said.
Manipur sources said in both cases a single bullet fired with precision killed the jawans. “Whoever it is, the question is who is getting them training,” an officer said.
A military officer, however, said that the kind of precision firing happening in Manipur would not require specialised sniper training. “Most of the firing is happening in the range of 300-400 yards. A trained hand on an SLR (self-loading rifle) can do precision firing at such a range. You will need sniper firing for longer range,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Manipur security establishment is still struggling to recover weapons looted by people from armouries. Less than 1,000 of the over 4,000 looted weapons have been surrendered.
According to Kukdiep Singh, advisor to Manipur government and chief of the Unified Command, 27 arms, 245 pieces of ammunition and 41 bombs have been seized from Porompat Police Station jurisdiction of Imphal East district over the latest 24-hour period. In this time, one gun and two bombs have also been seized from Bishnupur district. A total of 896 arms, 11,763 pieces of ammunition and 200 bombs have been recovered till date.
Sources said that despite an appeal from Home Minister Shah to surrender weapons, civilians have not come forward. Shah had also warned that a combing operation would be launched to recover the weapons. While it was to begin last Friday, sources said it has still not begun as comprehensively as it should have. Sources said a combing operation would require leadership of either the Manipur Police or Assam Rifles.
Singh, however, said the situation in Manipur remained peaceful and under control. No incident of violence was reported in the last 48 hours.
In order to provide relief to displaced people in Manipur, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also approved a Rs 101.75-crore relief package. During his Manipur visit last week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had directed the Government of Manipur to send a request to MHA for a relief package for displaced people.
According to Singh, curfew relaxation has been made for 12 hours in five valley districts and 10 hours and 8 hours in neighbouring hill districts. There is no curfew in six other hill districts.
“Movement of essential items along NH-37 is ensured. As many as 294 empty vehicles have left Imphal for Jiribam today. A total of 220 loaded vehicles have left Noney and 198 loaded tankers and trucks have left Jiribam today,” Singh said.
On the law and order front, Singh said senior officers have visited and are camping in vulnerable areas.
“Strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable areas. Further, a combined team of State and Central forces have intensified combing operations in many parts of the state. Hon’ble Ministers and MLAs of the state are visiting different areas of state and appealing for peace and normalcy by meeting the public at large and CSOs. Security forces are also organising meetings with CSOs, village heads of different villages and making appeals for peace and normalcy, besides doing their duties of area domination, patrolling,” Singh said.
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