The death of ten armed assailants during an attack on a CRPF camp in Manipur’s Jiribam district on Monday is believed to have resulted from a critical oversight by the attackers, according to security sources. The group, which was targeting the CRPF camp, failed to notice a bulletproof multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) stationed outside the camp, which was equipped with a mounted Light Machine Gun (LMG). The attackers were reportedly decimated by the MPV’s initial burst of gunfire.

The attack unfolded shortly after the assailants targeted homes and shops in the nearby Jakuradhor area, where both the CRPF camp and the Borobekra police station are situated. Around 2:30 pm, a group of 40-50 armed militants launched an assault on the Borobekra police station, which also supervises a relief camp and surrounding villages. Simultaneously, another group attacked the CRPF camp in an apparent effort to divert attention, unaware of the MPV positioned outside.

When the CRPF camp came under attack, personnel operating the MPV returned fire with the LMG, killing most of the assailants with the first volley. The exchange of gunfire lasted around 30 minutes as both sides sought cover and returned fire. Security officials have dismissed claims that “village volunteers” were among the deceased, confirming that nine of the ten killed attackers were from Churachandpur, roughly 200 km from the scene. Recovered weapons included AK-47 rifles, SLRs, and an RPG. One CRPF officer was reported injured during the clash.

In the aftermath, police discovered the bodies of two individuals from homes in Jakuradhor. These men were among ten people from the Borobekra relief camp who had gone missing during the violence. Although there had been a brief pause in hostilities following incidents in Koutruk and Moirang, tensions flared once again with the recent murder of a woman near the Jiribam district headquarters.