Muivah explained, “We always try to caution our armed forces to restrict their firing, which is a standard practice. However, when they are fired upon with sophisticated weapons, retaliation is part of our mandate. Reinforcements from Assam Rifles, CRPF, and the police have been deployed, and combing operations are underway.”Responding to claims by some Kuki-Zo organisations that the 10 deceased individuals were “village volunteers,” Muivah countered that, based on the weapons recovered and the military-style clothing found on the individuals, “we can say they were either armed militants or armed miscreants.””They were there to instigate violence, but due to the actions of the CRPF, the scale of violence was controlled,” he added.In protest of the “inhumane actions” of the CRPF in Jiribam, the Kuki Students’ Organisation issued a “notice” on Tuesday, warning that “no CRPF personnel shall be allowed to leave their camp premises.” They have demanded a thorough, court-monitored investigation into what they described as a “fake encounter.”Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, another Kuki-Zo organisation, alleged that the 10 “village volunteers” had been “ambushed and murdered.” On Tuesday, Kuki-Zo tribal communities observed a 13-hour “total shutdown” in their areas to pay respect to the 10 killed.In Jiribam district, an uneasy calm prevails, with prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC still in effect since Monday.
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