The Indian Association of Lawyers, Manipur Chapter, while condemning, has condoled and expressed its deep sorrow and anguish on the sudden and premature demise of Ch Anand Kumar Singh, MPS/SDPO who was shot dead on October 31, 2023 in Moreh.
The officer was mercilessly assassinated by the Chin-Kuki Militants by firing upon the officer with sophisticated weapon Sniper on that fateful day while he was personally supervising/overseeing construction of a new helipad ground along with some senior officers and other subordinate police personnel, a release of the association, signed by its president M Gourahari and general secretary Kh Shamungou stated.
The fact remains that Ch Anand Kumar Singh was a sincere and dedicated police officer of rare character working for the cause of the state and country with indomitable courage. In recognition of his rare quality of bravery, dedication to duty and wide experience in counter-insurgency activities, the officer was decorated with the Police Medal for Gallantry, the release said.
The association also stated that the state has been witnessing a serious situation of turmoil and total breakdown of law and order since May 3, 2023 and now it has elapsed more than six months. Thousands of dwelling houses have been burnt down into ashes, countless precious lives lost, including that of women, students and children in addition to merciless rape cases, etc. However, the state as well as the union government have miserably failed to control the situation despite the fact that the hoarse cries of the people still continue uncontrolled, they stated.
The lawyer’s association stated that the prevailing crisis in the state is not a fall-out of a mere communal flare-up; rather the grim situation is created by the influx of Chin-Kuk militants from Myanmar, having close nexus with Kuki militants belonging to underground outfits under Suspension of Operation (SoO). So, it is a case of foreign aggression or mass genocide intending to eliminate Meitei community and create a separate administration or homeland of Kuki community by disintegrating Manipur, they stated.
The association further stated that the state Home Department has remained a silent spectator and had no determination and commitment to overpower the unscrupulous elements and order the commando personnel to proceed upto Moreh by using force even as they are blocked on the way. As such there was a critical situation at Moreh due to acute shortage of security force to cope with the Chin -Kukl militants, thereby resulting in total breakdown of law and order over there, they added.
Under the fact and circumstances leading to acute shortage of security force strength, the precious life of Ch Anan Kumar was lost on October 31, 2023. Had the state government made adequate security deployment in Moreh with the state commando force reinforced from Imphal, the untoward incident of losing the life of the Police officer might not have happened, it stated.
