GUWAHATI: Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari on Tuesday separately briefed Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Minister N Biren Singh on the prevailing security situation in the ethnic violence-hit state.
Also present at the briefing were Spear Corps General Officer Commanding Lieutenant General Abhijit S Pendharkar, 57 Mountain Division General Officer Commanding Major General SS Kartikeya, and Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South) Major General Ravroop Singh.
Ajay Kumar Bhalla, a former Union Home Secretary, was recently sworn in as the Governor of Manipur. Since taking office, he has been regularly visiting affected areas and engaging with officials and community leaders.
The Eastern Command stated that the discussions included measures being implemented to ensure the security of the people of Manipur.
Chief Minister Singh said, “We discussed various matters, including strategies to strengthen security, enhance coordination and ensure the well-being of our citizens.”
Manipur has remained calm for the past few weeks amid coordinated efforts by the government and various security agencies to maintain peace.
On Monday, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi noted that proactive government measures and the coordinated actions of security forces have helped bring the situation in Manipur under control.
The ethnic violence, which erupted on 3 May 2023, resulted in over 250 deaths and displaced approximately 60,000 people.
Separately, while addressing armed forces veterans at the 9th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day observance in Imphal, Chief Minister Singh expressed the state government’s openness to positive suggestions and advice from veterans to aid in restoring peace and normalcy.
He announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh for soldiers from Manipur who lost their lives in the line of duty. The government has also sanctioned Rs 3 crore for the construction of a memorial park.
Highlighting the contributions of the state to the armed forces, Singh remarked that Manipur had produced two Army officers at the rank of Lieutenant General. He also mentioned having once met the Commanding Officer of a nuclear submarine who hailed from the state. Approximately 350 individuals from Manipur are currently serving as officers in the combined defence forces, he added.