Manipur Unrest: No Evidence That Drone-Dropped Bomb Killed Koutruk Woman, Says Ex-Assam Rifles DG | Exclusive

Even as drone-dropped grenades and crude bombs are being blamed for triggering the latest round of violence in Manipur, the recently retired DG of Assam Rifles (AR) has questioned this assessment.

In an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18, Lt Gen (Rtd) P C Nair said that the woman who died in Koutruk village may have been caught in the crossfire between the two groups and died of bullet injuries.

He also said that the rockets used in Bishnupur seem to be renovated Pompi Guns that have been used in strife-torn Manipur for decades.

Excerpts from the interview:

The latest round of violence from September 1 seems to have been triggered by use of drones. The Manipur Police has blamed Kuki groups. What is your assessment?

Drones have been used for many purposes. Usually surveillance, photography, imagery, agriculture, etc. So it’s not new. In fact, in the initial days of violence, drones were used against some of our (Assam Rifles) posts too. It is something that has been happening and is not limited to Manipur alone. It is used in many places. Only thing is there is no check in Manipur for reasons known to all of us. When this news (September 1 incident) first came to me, I thought yes, it is quite possible that a drone was used because in next door Myanmar, too, drones are being used extensively.

But from the footage (of Koutruk) that I saw, it seemed like a light, small drone and the impact of the shells on ground was major. There are reasons to believe that the shells could not have been fired from those small drones. That is my take on this subject.

The Manipur Police, on its social media handle, put up a picture of a drone that they claim was used in this attack and said they were sending it for further analysis. But you are saying that your assessment is that the woman died of splinter injury?

Not splinter…bullet. It is not just my assessment. It is there in the media that she died of bullet injuries. It is there in the reports of local media.

You think drones were used for surveillance and not really to drop a grenade at the victim’s residence?

There was a fight going on between the two factions. The factions were fighting while these drones, rockets, pompies…whatever you call them…were being fired. It’s possible she would have died because of a bullet from that crossfire.

What about the allegation that rockets were fired?

The term rockets, as we (people of military background), understand, is of a specific kind. These (what is used in Manipur) are all improvised things which can be called a rocket because they move in an aerial trajectory…but it not the same as weapons that are mass produced. These are all indigenous weapons. These, for example, have been used long ago, almost 100 years ago in the Anglo-Kuki war. Progressively, some modifications have been made. The national media has covered it extensively in the past one year. Everyone has seen that. There’s nothing new in this.

So are you suggesting there is no new chapter in the Kuki-Meitei conflict or new element in terms of drones or rockets or new foreign fighters?

Having said that, because of the extensive usage of drones across Myanmar, we should not be surprised if these come in larger numbers. That is the larger thing that we should be thinking of. What can happen in the future is what we should be thinking about.

Can you clarify on the foreign fighter bit? There are lot of apprehensions, especially in the Imphal Valley, that what’s happening now is because of a foreign power.

It’s been there. I mean most of the unrest in the North-East for the past 65-70 years is a consequence of foreigners’ interference. Go back in time from the Naga insurgency onwards. There has been a hand of a Northern neighbour. Even now Paresh Baruah is sitting in Yunnan in China. So was there a foreign hand? I think it is a no-brainer, but who exactly in foreign land, I will not be able to comment on that. But it is in the interest of countries that are inimical to us cash in on the existing situation.

Is the situation aggravating because of the Government of India’s decision to move the Assam Rifles units from Manipur to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)?

We do know that Jammu and Kashmir, especially Jammu, has terror-related challenges. The election is around the corner. So the government is trying to strengthen the hand of the security grid there.

Let me specifically speak about the AR battalions going there. The Jammu region has seen a lot of acts of terror in the past few months, so this decision is in the fitness of things. What is more important is to realise that rather than the debate on whether we are succumbing to somebody’s pressure or not listening to somebody, it is important to tackle the situation. The Assam Rifles battalions have always done a fabulous job in Jammu and Kashmir. One of the battalions that is going now to J&K has established an all-time record there. I think it is in the fitness of things that the government would have taken this decision.

In Manipur, the grudge is now no longer limited to AR alone. At least one member of the Legislative Assembly has written to the Union Home Minister alleging that paramilitary forces are mute spectators to violence. This sentiment seems to be gaining traction on the ground. What is the issue with the presence of the paramilitary forces?

The Centre sent them to ensure that peace prevails and to be fair, I think they did ensure peace for at least two or more consecutive months. It would be unfair to blame the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). They are operating under very challenging circumstances. The demands, if you see, began in the initial part, from AR should go back or withdrawn to the Indian Army should also go back. Then came the demand that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) should also go back. Then it was further scaled up to all the central forces should go back. So, who will handle the situation there? Somebody has to handle the situation there and nobody is in a better position than the central forces. Because central forces have no axe to grind. They are not, they can’t be biased.

But that seems to be the allegation. It seems for the Kuki group specially. They have a special affinity or their special trust in the AR and the Meitei groups have zero trust in Assam Rifles or for that matter in the central forces, how did matters come to this stage?

All I can say is the Assam Rifles, like the other central forces, have been absolutely neutral. There is no way they could have been partial to anyone.

The news coming from Imphal is worrying. We do know that student groups have laid a siege outside the Raj Bhavan. In a situation like this, what do you think is the way forward? We have the example of unified command in Jammu and Kashmir also.

Well, two situations can never be alike. J&K’s issues are entirely different. We should not mix these things up… there is a particular kind of command that’s happening in one place. I think nobody is in a better position than the government to decide what works best. Which government will not want peace to be restored at the earliest? They have multiple agencies, multiple sources, they know best. So if they feel this is the way it can be handled, maybe this is a way. But again, tomorrow if the situation turns worse or takes a totally different turn, I’m sure the government would consider everything and think of some other arrangement to handle the situation.

If the Central government decides on their demand and the CAPF is withdrawn, will the Manipur Police be able to handle the situation?

You should ask the Manipur Police. I mean, this is a question anyone can answer. When in a state, two communities are fighting, can it be left to them to sort it out? One, affinities will be there. Second would be the numbers. Where would they get the numbers from to carry out the arrests in such a situation?

The Manipur Police claims there is no Meiti or Kuki Police…

What I would say is their ethnicity is strong. No matter where you are, and even if there is in some way, some rationality, the pressures are so high. People really have no choice. They have to think of their family. They have to think of their children. I feel this attachment towards ethnicity is prime. Everything else is secondary.

The Internet ban and curfew are back in Manipur. Will it work?

Whenever the situation goes out of control, there is a need for an internet shutdown, but it cannot continue for long. Sooner rather than later, it will have to be restarted. Children’s studies, medical needs, transport, everything gets impacted. So it’s not a long-term solution.

Will withdrawal of Article 355 help in any way?

That is for the Centre to decide.

The DGP, the advisor and the chief secretary were sent by the Centre. Now, there is a demand that all of them be sent back, will it help matters?

No, that’s again for the Centre to decide. But I can say that perhaps things would have been worse had the Centre not intervened.

What is the way forward?

The starting point (to peace) is people. They have to realise that this cannot go on endlessly. At some point, it has to stop. And that point is everyday. It’s today. It should be tomorrow if not, then at least day after tomorrow. That is how they should be looking at this. In these 15-16 months, look at the state, how progressive it was. And I wish that this stops at the soonest. My good wishes to them. It can only happen if the two communities take a step back, realise that it is best for them and for the future of their children that they stop this. The elders, civil society organisations, youths and all people carrying weapons have to realise this.

Women in Manipur are very strong. They have a great influence over society. At one point, Manipur was known as the drug capital and HIV capital of India. How did it come down? It is totally because of the proactive manner in which the Meira Paibis acted against the youth. The youth listen to them. This is a moment in history when Meira Paibis and the other women of all other groups should cast aside their differences and come together for peace.

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