IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Monday said that village volunteers in both the hills and the valley, as well as the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol, were not banned organisations.
He said the state government was studying the various cases of unlawful and criminal activities involving individuals in the wake of the violence that began on May 3, 2023.
The Chief Minister said the unprecedented violence had compelled many youths to take up arms. While some of them had good intentions, others could have indulged in criminal activities, he said.
Singh further said the state government had not declared village volunteers in the hills and the valley, or Arambai Tenggol, as banned organisations. He added that the police had not registered cases against individuals based on their affiliation with these groups. Arrests made by the police were based on individuals' involvement in criminal activities, he said.
He said the Manipur Police had been a very strong force in the past, but its morale had declined following the ethnic crisis. The government was now trying to strengthen the police force, he added.
Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas reaffirmed the government's 2024 decision not to prosecute individuals who were not involved in heinous crimes such as attacks on security forces, extortion, murder or other criminal activities.
He said it was the government's responsibility to protect youths who were not involved in heinous crimes.
The Home Minister said individual cases would be examined by the government.