Unidentified assailants abducted a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Konsam Kheda Singh from his residence in Thoubal district today morning.
The motive behind the abduction remains unclear, but security agencies suspect it could be an extortion attempt as the officer's family had reportedly received threats in the past.
Singh, a resident of Charangpat Mamang Leikai, was on leave when armed men barged into his home around 9 am and forcefully took him away in a vehicle.
Concerted search operations involving all security forces have been launched to locate the abducted officer, with checkpoints established to inspect vehicles plying on National Highway 102.
This incident marks the latest in a string of attacks targeting security personnel or their families in Manipur.
In September last year, militants kidnapped and killed Sepoy Serto Thangthang Kom, a former Assam Regiment soldier.
Just two months ago, an unidentified armed group abducted and murdered four family members of an army soldier serving in Jammu and Kashmir.
The lone survivor, the soldier's father, managed to escape and received medical treatment.
The abduction also comes on the heels of a brazen attack on a senior police officer in Imphal by the radical Meitei group, Arambai Tenggol (AT), in late February.
The incident triggered unrest within the Manipur Police force, with officers laying down arms in protest.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh has since visited the injured officer and held discussions with senior police officials to address their concerns.
Manipur Police also published a statement blaming the notorious group AT for the attack and warned all miscreants to refrain from such acts and indicating that prevalence of such conditions will result in reimposition of AFSPA in the valley.
The security forces toiling day and night for early restoration of peace and normalcy are being targeted for performing their duty, the officials said, adding the attacks by the inimical elements on security forces and their families need to be strongly condemned and perpetrators caught and punished as per the law.
At least 219 people have been killed in the ethnic strife in the state that started on May 3 last year after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts
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