Team News Riveting
Imphal, November 13
The Assam Rifles suspect that People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) could be behind the attack in Manipur today morning in which Colonel Viplav Tripathi along with wife, son and four jawans were killed.
In a statement, the Assam Rifles said it suspected that the insurgent group responsible for this massacre “must be from PREPAK cadre as the PREPAK Remembrance Day is celebrated on 12/13 November 2021”.
PREPAK was formed on October 9, 1977 in a meeting held on Cheirouching, Imphal. It was attended by R K Tulachandra, S. Wanglen, Achamba, Tajila, Meiraba, Meipaksana, Y. Ibohanbi and Paliba, (who were the founding members of PREPAK). After its formation, it launched a series of attacks and ambushes against Manipur Police and Manipur Rifles personnel during the late seventies and early eighties.
In 1980, a small group split off from PREPAK and formed the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) led by its late leader Y Ibahanbi. In the early 2000s, the group again split into two factions – one headed by its General Secretary, the other by the Vice-Chairman. Efforts were made by the UNLF, PLA/RPF, KYKL and KCP to reunite the two factions. Many cadres of both factions lost their lives in factional clashes.
In, 2006/2007, both the factions of PREPAK were re-united. However, another faction led by Defence Secretary Chinglemba Mangang of the General Secretary faction split off to form the United People’s Party of Kangleipak (UPPK).
In May this year, three rebel leaders of the outlawed PREPAK were killed in a road accident at an undisclosed forest area. The three included Awangba Meitei, 58, the acting chairman of the party, organisation secretary Mayengbam Joychand, and GSO-1 R.K. Ramananda.
The PREPAK in a press release had said that following the development, the outfit had dissolved the central committee. Instead, a five-member interim council has been formed. It will look after the outfit’s affairs till a central committee is formed after holding the national party congress.
Another report said that the killing of an Assam Rifles Commanding Officer, his family, and four other jawans in a militant ambush had brought the focus back on the PLA. After splitting from the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), N Bisheshwar Singh formed the PLA on September 25, 1978, in an attempt to liberate and turn Manipur into an independent socialist state.
Both the organisations have backing reportedly from China and has formulated a two-fold objection – to liberate the Eastern Region of India comprising the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura and the Union Territories of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh through a carefully planned revolutionary uprising and to use this as a base for ‘liberating’ the rest of India.
Highly decorated and brave officer, as Colonel Viplav was known in Assam Rifles, had previously served in Mizoram and was transferred to Manipur in July 2021.
During his tenure at Mizoram, under his able and energetic leadership, the battalion has been at the forefront in Border management, thwarting illegal smuggling in the IMB and hinterland. Battalion has also recovered several weapons & war-like stores, which could have landed in the hands of anti-national elements thus avoiding major casualties, Assam Rifles said in a statement.
“Col Viplav, through his remarkable endeavours, has bonded closely with the locals of Mizoram. The anti-drug campaign conducted by his battalion in January 2021 received several laurels and praise & the awareness was rightfully created by him in the entire state including the remote villages to ensure the youth are guided in the right direction,” the statement said, adding his “goodwill for the society will last an eternity,” it added.
