Imphal | Tension gripped Manipur’s Senapati district after a mob allegedly attacked an Assam Rifles camp, vandalised property and set three security vehicles ablaze late Tuesday night following a search operation conducted in the area.

Security forces responded by firing blank rounds and using tear-gas grenades to disperse the crowd, while additional personnel from the Manipur Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were deployed to restore order.

According to a statement issued by the Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), Kohima and Imphal, the incident occurred hours after Assam Rifles launched an area domination patrol and search operation based on credible intelligence inputs regarding the alleged presence of armed cadres in the Makuilongdi area, located about two kilometres west of the designated NSCN-IM camp at Oklong.

The Defence PRO said intelligence reports, corroborated by social media posts, suggested that armed cadres were moving outside designated camps carrying weapons and wearing uniforms, actions that were viewed as violations of the Ceasefire Ground Rules.

The Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG) was informed about the reported violations and the associated security concerns, the statement said.

During the operation, Assam Rifles personnel approaching Makuilongdi and Oklong villages were reportedly obstructed by local residents, including women. The force said it exercised maximum restraint and engaged with local representatives, explaining that the operation was intended solely to maintain security and peace in the area.

According to the statement, Assam Rifles also assured community leaders that troops would not enter any village without the approval of the competent authorities.

Meanwhile, local sources said tensions escalated after messages circulated on social media around 9 pm claiming that a confrontation had taken place between Assam Rifles personnel and the Huthrong Brigade Headquarters of the NSCN-IM at Oklong village.

The messages reportedly called on residents to gather at Senapati town for what was described as “necessary action”, prompting a large crowd to assemble.

As the gathering swelled, protesters marched towards the Assam Rifles Company Operating Base (COB), demanding that security forces withdraw from the Oklong area. Local sources alleged that a vehicle parked outside the camp gate was set on fire, while a nearby waiting shed was also torched during the protest.

The Defence PRO stated that although the Assam Rifles columns had already begun withdrawing from the area, a large mob reached the camp at around 9.30 pm and engaged in stone-pelting, vandalism and attempted arson.

To prevent further escalation, Assam Rifles personnel, in coordination with the Manipur Police, used what officials described as the minimum necessary force, firing blank rounds and deploying tear-gas grenades to disperse the crowd.

Personnel from the Senapati Police and the CRPF were immediately mobilised to support the operation and restore law and order. Authorities said the combined efforts of Assam Rifles, Manipur Police and CRPF personnel succeeded in bringing the situation under control, with the crowd fully dispersed by around midnight.

Officials confirmed that no injuries or casualties were reported among civilians or security personnel during the incident.

The episode underscores the continuing security sensitivities in Manipur’s hill districts, where tensions surrounding insurgent activities, ceasefire arrangements and security operations remain a matter of concern for authorities and local communities alike.