The death of 10 armed men during an attack on a CRPF camp in Manipur’s Jiribam district on Monday appears to have stemmed from a significant oversight by the attackers, according to security sources. The armed group, reportedly targeting the camp, failed to spot a CRPF bulletproof multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) stationed outside, which had an LMG (Light Machine Gun) mounted on it. Most of the men were said to have been killed by the MPV’s first burst of gunfire.

The attack occurred shortly after armed assailants targeted homes and shops in Jakuradhor, where both the CRPF camp and the nearby Borobekra police station are located. Around 2:30 pm, a group of 40-50 armed men attacked the Borobekra police station, which also oversees a relief camp and nearby villages. Another group simultaneously targeted the CRPF camp to distract personnel, unaware of the armed MPV positioned outside.

As the camp came under fire, personnel in the MPV responded with LMG fire, killing most of the attackers in the first round of gunfire. The firefight continued for about 30 minutes as both sides took positions. Officials dismissed claims that “village volunteers” were among those killed, noting that nine of the deceased were from Churachandpur, approximately 200 km away. Recovered weapons included AK-47s, SLRs, and an RPG, and one CRPF officer sustained injuries.

Following the incident, police recovered the bodies of two individuals from houses in Jakuradhor. These men were among 10 from the Borobekra relief camp who had gone missing amid the violence. A brief lull in violence had followed recent incidents in Koutruk and Moirang, but hostilities resumed with the recent killing of a woman near Jiribam district headquarters.