NEW DELHI: Amid escalated violence for the past week in Manipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday chaired a high-level meeting and reviewed the security situation in the state with senior officials, sources said.
As this was the second meeting in as many days, sources in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said, the Home Minister directed the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the state police to intensify their operations to restore peace and order in the state as early as possible.
Meanwhile, the sources said, the government has decided to increase the presence of CAPF personnel in Manipur to help the state government in its efforts to bring back normalcy, as an additional 50 companies of Central Police Forces are being dispatched for deployment.
“An additional 50 companies have been ordered to be rushed to Manipur by this week. While 35 units will be drawn from the CRPF, the rest will be from the BSF,” the source said.
The new batch of 50 companies is over and above 20 companies (15 CRPF and 5 BSF), which were sent last week, the sources said.
In view of the latest spurt in violent incidents in Manipur, Shah on Sunday had cancelled his scheduled multiple election campaign meetings in Maharashtra and returned to Delhi, where he reviewed the situation in Manipur in an emergency meeting with senior security officials at the North Block.
Earlier last week, in a statement MHA had said that the security scenario in Manipur has been fragile for the past few days. “Armed miscreants from both communities in conflict have been indulging in violence, leading to the unfortunate loss of lives and disruption in public order. All the security forces have been directed to take the necessary steps to restore order and peace. Strict action will be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities,” it read.
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered three cases in connection with the latest instances of violence in Manipur. Three cases, which were originally registered by Manipur Police, were re-registered by the NIA a few days ago.
The cases taken over by the NIA are those related to the murder of a woman in Jiribam by armed militants, which was originally registered by the local police on November 8, an attack on a CRPF post located at Jakuradhor Karong and Borobekra police stations in Jiribam by armed militants, which was originally registered at Borobekra police station on November 11, and the burning of houses and killing of civilians at Borobekra, which was originally registered at Borobekra police station on November 11.
It may also be noted here that after the latest incidents of violence in Manipur, curfew has been imposed in many districts and internet services have also been shut in some areas. The angry mob had also vandalised the houses of some MLAs and ministers in the state.
