Maj. Gen. Shakti Gurung and director-general of police Joykumar Singh address the news conference in Imphal on Friday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Imphal, April 17: Claiming that Summer Storm was its biggest and most successful operation ever against militants in Manipur, GOC 57 Mountain Division, Maj. Gen. Shakti Gurung, announced the troops intended to continue the offensive till all militants in Loktak lake were flushed out.

“Some militants are still holed up inside Keibul Lamjao National Park. We intend to continue the operation. However, it will be terminated at the earliest,” Gen. Gurung said at a joint news conference with director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh today.

The joint operation of the army, Assam Rifles and police, codenamed Summer Storm, was launched on April 12.

Gen. Gurung said so far 12 militants were killed, five camps of the Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangliepak (Prepak) destroyed and 10 weapons, including six AK-series rifles, recovered. The 12th militant was killed last evening.

The operation was launched inside Keibul Lamjao National Park, home to the most threatened deer species, sangai, he added.

Both the officers claimed that Summer Storm was the most successful joint operation in Manipur.

“The operation was launched after electronic as well as human surveillance confirmed the presence of militants. We do not resort to speculative firing. There was no civilian or animal casualty. We take extra care not to harm women and children. We rescued the wife and baby of a militant and handed them over to the police,” Gen. Gurung said.

The GOC’s announcement about continuing the operation came a day after displaced villagers held a rally in Imphal. They also submitted a representation to chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh yesterday seeking an end to the operation. They said it had disrupted the normal life of nearly 2,500 people settled on the fringes of the lake.

Admitting this, the GOC said the army would compensate the villagers deprived of their livlihood after the operation was over. He said relief materials were being provided to the affected people.

He, however, clarified that there was no human habitation in the sphere of operation. Those who fled their homes have been given shelter in relief camps.

The GOC and DGP said once the proposed hovercraft were procured and a Loktak Protection Force put in place, no militant would be able to enter the lake area.

“The Centre has sanctioned Rs 5.5 crore for procuring three hovercraft,” Singh said. There was no need to open any new army post inside Keibul Lamjao, the GOC added. “We have posts around Loktak lake. There is no need for new posts.”