Amid rising militant attacks, Manipur Police seek Army's help on operating MMGs

Imphal, Sep 5 (IANS) Manipur Police have approached the Army to train its personnel on the usage of 7.62 mm Medium Machine Guns (MMG), an official said on Wednesday.

Manipur police training college Assistant Director (Administration) S. Gautam Singh in a letter to the Army’s 57th Mountain Division, said that due to the deteriorating law and order situation in Manipur, the state police department has purchased 7.62 mm MMG from Ordnance Factory, Jabalpur.

Singh in his letter, accessed by IANS, said that the MMGs have already reached the state.

However, as Manipur Police does not have any trained manpower to operate this weapon, the training can be provided in Manipur Police Training College, Pangei by the troops of 57th Mountain Division.

A training schedule of 21 days has been proposed, starting from September 9, the letter said.

Meanwhile, two persons — including a woman (31) — were killed, and 12 others injured in the attacks by suspected Kuki militants using drones and sophisticated weapons at Sejam Chirang and nearby Koutruk villages in Imphal West and Imphal East districts on Sunday and Monday.

Concerned over the latest developments of using drones and sophisticated weapons by the militants, Director General of Police, Manipur, Rajiv Singh said that the state police are in touch with the Director General National Security Guard (NSG) and other experts to seek their support regarding the recent attacks on civilians by the militants using drones and sophisticated weapons.

“I have personally spoken to everybody in Delhi. I have also spoken to DG NSG and his team. Other experts are coming in, and we have formed a high-level committee to look into the drone attack and other related issues. We have taken the new development very seriously. We will find out a solution at the earliest. All forces are continuing the combing operations to nab the militants,” the DGP told the media.

–IANS

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