By IANS
Imphal : In a bizarre incident, 16 armed paramilitary troopers of the Assam Rifles conducting an anti-insurgency raid in Manipur were overpowered by villagers and held hostage for several hours, officials said Wednesday.
A police spokesperson said the troopers in civvies were confronted by a large crowd of people at Sangai Yumpham village in Thoubal district late Monday while they were carrying out a search operation in the area.
“The villagers said the troopers were carrying out raids in the area to arrest A. Rahman, a candidate for the local village council elections. Rahman’s supporters accosted the Assam Rifles personnel, overpowered them and later locked all of them inside a room,” a police official told IANS requesting anonymity.
Villagers also set ablaze the two vehicles in which the troopers came to conduct the raid.
Police officials early Tuesday managed to free the 16 Assam Rifles personnel after holding a series of meetings with the villagers.
The Assam Rifles, an anti-insurgency force that has been involved in several controversies and alleged rights violations in Manipur in recent years, said they were on a specific mission in the village looking for militants.
“The confrontation with the public was the sequel of an encounter with suspected terrorists and our troops had maintained utmost restraint in order to avoid casualties to the civilians despite the ordeal,” an Assam Rifles commander said.