Heirok: Villagers in this small
hamlet in Manipur have taken to arms to save themselves from
incessant threats of insurgent groups known for kidnapping for
ransom.
This is the story of Heirok in Thoubal district located
30 kms from Imphal, the capital of Manipur, where 300
residents have been trained by the state police to fight the
insurgent groups.
Most of the people who volunteered for a one-year armed
training at the police centre in Imphal are youths, some of
them graduates.
"We have no other option but to fight the militants. We
are here to defend our village," said 30-year-old Imoba Singh,
a political science graduate, who could not leave the village
because of financial constraints facing his family.
Manipur, with a population of 2.4 million, is home to
over three dozen militant groups, most of which operates from
across the border in Myanmar. The insurgency is spread over
nine districts of the state, including four in the valley and
five in hill areas.
Besides stepping up their operations in the remote areas,
militants have also targeted government offices and buildings
in the capital. They dictate terms and kidnap people only to
free them in exchange for a huge ransom, officials said.
PTI
