Ukhrul, July 14 | EKHON: A combined team of security forces carried out a surprise operation early Tuesday morning across TM Kasom, Sikibung/Sharkaphung and Lungphu in Ukhrul district, triggering fear among residents. Locals alleged that security personnel entered homes without prior notice, searched a church during a meeting, and apprehended four residents of Sharkaphung village, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
According to local sources, the operation began at around 6 a.m., when personnel, reportedly led by the Assam Rifles, conducted house-to-house searches in TM Kasom, Sikibung/Sharkaphung and S. Laho. Residents alleged that security forces ransacked houses while searching for arms and ammunition.
Witnesses also claimed that security personnel entered a church compound while members were attending an audit meeting at the pastor’s residence. The house of a retired Indian Army serviceman was also reportedly searched.
Local sources said four civilians were apprehended during the operation. A complaint has reportedly been lodged at Litan Police Station by Wungreikhan Kasar, Headman of Sikibung/Sharkaphung village.
According to the complaint, the four villagers, Wungphayo Kasar (24), son of Yurthan Kasar; AS. Ninglum (29), son of the late AS. Hopeson; Yaoreingam Lungleng (24), son of Makanmi Lungleng; and Vareiyo Lungleng (56), son of the late Tuifa Lungleng, were picked up by a combined team of security forces from Phungthar Hills. The complaint states that their families have not been informed of their whereabouts.
Meanwhile, the Manipur Police, in a post on its official social media platform at around 3:30 p.m., stated:
“An intelligence-based operation has been launched by Security Forces in the areas of TM Kasom, Litan and Sikibung to arrest the perpetrators of the ambush on security forces in Ukhrul district on 06 July 2026. Three persons have been detained. Farming activities are continuing unhindered, shops remain open and regulated traffic on NH-202 are moving as planned.”
The police statement differs from accounts shared by local residents regarding both the number of detainees and the impact of the operation on the ground.
Tuesday’s operation comes days after a suspected covert ambush on Assam Rifles personnel at Lungshang Kong in Ukhrul district. Security agencies have since intensified search operations to identify and apprehend those allegedly involved, although authorities have released few details about the investigation.
For many residents of the hill districts, the latest operation has revived memories of the years when the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) dominated everyday life. Although AFSPA has been lifted from several parts of Manipur in recent years, it remains in force in parts of the hill districts, including sections of Ukhrul, where counter-insurgency operations continue.
