Manipur: 7 personnel suspended in looting of arms from IRB camp

Seven personnel of the India Reserve Battalion have been suspended for dereliction of duties in connection with the looting of arms and ammunition from the special force's Chingarel camp in Manipur's Imphal East district.

They have been asked not to leave their headquarters without obtaining prior permission, according to an order issued by the commandant of the 5th India Reserve Battalion on Thursday.

The order said the seven personnel were suspended for "grave negligence and dereliction of duties" after arms and ammunition were looted from the camp three days before.

Six people have been arrested and remanded to police custody in connection with the arms looting case, the Manipur Police said on Thursday.

Four Insas rifles, one AK Ghatak, two magazines of SLR and 16 small boxes of 9 mm ammunition looted from the IRB camp have also been recovered.

A mob broke into the camp of the 5th IRB at Chingarel and fled with arms and ammunition on February 13.

More than 180 people have been killed in Manipur since ethnic violence erupted on May 3 last year after a tribal solidarity march was organised in the state to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. 

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in hilly districts.