Is Crackdown on Smuggling Behind Anger Against Assam Rifles in Manipur?

In the violence-afflicted state of Manipur in India’s northeast, the Assam Rifles, a key central force, finds itself under intense scrutiny. It’s at the centre of a vocal campaign that accuses it of taking sides in the ethnic conflict between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo tribal groups. However, this claim might just be a smokescreen to divert attention from what could be the real issue: the Assam Rifle’s clampdown on rampant smuggling activities in the region, according to reliable sources in the security establishment Newsreel Asia has spoken with.