Imphal: A junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was kidnapped from his home in Manipur by unknown individuals on Monday morning, sources informed NDTV.
The army officer, identified as Konsam Kheda Singh, a resident of Thoubal district in Manipur, was abducted from his residence in a vehicle around 9 am today, sources said.
Following the incident, a coordinated search operation was launched by all security agencies to rescue the JCO. Security forces have fanned out in the area to locate the missing Manipur army officer.
This incident marks the fourth such abduction in Manipur since ethnic violence erupted in the border state in May last year.
In September 2023, a former Assam Regiment soldier, Serto Thangthang Kom, was kidnapped and killed by an unidentified armed group while on leave at his home in Imphal West.
Two months later, four family members of an Indian Army soldier serving in Jammu and Kashmir were abducted and killed by an unidentified armed group while traveling in an SUV from Churachandpur to Leimakhong. A fifth passenger, the father of the soldier, was injured and later airlifted to a hospital in Guwahati. He is currently recovering.
In another incident, an Additional Superintendent of Police was briefly kidnapped in Imphal city on February 27. The attackers in this case were identified as Arambai Tenggol (AT) by the police.
The Manipur Police commandos held a symbolic “arms down” protest in Imphal and other areas following the incident.
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The police have warned that such incidents could lead to the reimposition of the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act (AFSPA) in the state.
The security forces are working tirelessly to restore peace and normalcy in the region, and these attacks on security personnel and their families are strongly condemned. The authorities have demanded strict action against those responsible for these incidents.
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