IMPHAL, June 6: General Officer Commanding 3 Corps Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat who is the overall commander of the army in the region said night curfew will be imposed along the border as the army initiate `people friendly`™ combing operation in and around the area of the attack.
Speaking after the wreath laying ceremony in honour of the 18 slain soldiers, he said the ongoing operation in the ambush site to flush out the attackers of the deadly June 4 ambush will be `people friendly.`
He said it was neither the failure of intelligence nor a security lapse on the part of the army. Various such attacks have been averted and foiled in the past acting on intelligence inputs, he added.
The army`™s presence is to ensure that the people of Manipur live in peace and not to usher war, he asserted.
We will ensure that the insurgent groups will not harass the people of the state, he said.
On retaliation he said, one of the militants has been killed.
We will certainly take measures to ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are booked and taken to task, he continued.
`We are also looking for people who are extending open support to these militants`™ he warned adding further that such supporters will be apprehended as well.
We are not in favour of creating hardship for the people and the ongoing operation will be mindful of creating minimum hardship to the people, he claimed.
Regarding the issue of the porous international border he said, we have various crossing places, 16 km of free movement strip and permits for people to cross over the borders.
However we need to exercise stricter control now and tighten the border, since some of the insurgent groups have taken advantage of these factors, he contiuned.
We have asked the State government to imposed night curfews from dusk to dawn, along the 3 km belt border. It will enable us to conduct our operation on the border area by filtering the civilians, he added.
Border is already sealed in the cordoned area and operation is still in progress to ensure that we arrest the perpetrators before they exit to some other place, Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat asserted.
He continued media has been denied access till date and it is intended to facilitate the operation since it is still sensitive and strategically not feasible to invite media yet.
Several media persons voiced concerns regarding the denial from the ongoing operation in civilian areas to which he assured that information will be channeled.
Meanwhile, it may be added that media has been denied entry in the cordoned area ever since the ambush.
A reliable source has also informed that in some villages, combing operation has started.
In these villages, men and women have been segregated and mobile phones impounded by the security forces.
Meanwhile, a source has added that a NIA team has arrived in the State to investigate the ambush.