India

Manipur violence: Tensions prevail in three regions

ANIImphal, Manipur
Indian Army with Assam Rifles personnel conduct rescue operation in the violence-affected Manipur, on 7 May 2023
ANI

As violence gripped several parts of Manipur, security advisor to the Manipur government Kuldeep Singh said on Sunday that tension continued to prevail in some areas of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh.

“The current situation in Manipur has improved quite a lot. Today curfew was also relaxed. Some areas of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh are still under tension. Peace meetings were held. Till now, 134 arms have been recovered out of the looted arms,” Singh told ANI.

“37 casualties happened and agencies are reporting some more deaths, we are still verifying,” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey convened a security review meeting at Imphal over the violence in the State.

Security Adviser to Manipur government Kuldip Singh, IPS (Retd) and Additional Director General of Police Ashutosh Sinha, the overall Operational Commander of the present turmoil arising in the State were present in the meeting.

According to Raj Bhavan, Governor Uikey expressed during the meeting that she had already made to all the sections of the society to solve the problem through peaceful dialogue amicably.

People of the communal clashes hit the area of Manipur at Fultali Union high school relief camp set up by the Assam Government, in Cachar district of Assam on 7 May, 2023
People of the communal clashes hit the area of Manipur at Fultali Union high school relief camp set up by the Assam Government, in Cachar district of Assam on 7 May 2023
Nagaland students and locals being evacuated from the violence affected Manipur by Assam Rifles and Nagaland Government, in Imphal on 7 May 2023
Manipur CM N. Biren Singh chairs a meeting with the representatives of Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) to review the situation after the clash, in Manipur, Imphal on 6 May 2023

Governor appreciated the relentless efforts made by the Security Forces to save lives and properties at this critical juncture. Further, she also suggested shifting people, who are in different relief camps, to send to their respective places safely which was acceded to by both the Security Adviser and the Operational Commander.

Indian Army and Assam Rifles which were called in to curb violence in Manipur have successfully rescued nearly 23,000 civilians so far and moved them to the operating bases, a statement from the Indian Army said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met with the representatives of the ‘Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI)’ in the wake of the violence in the State, informed CM in a tweet.

Political parties including Congress, NPF, NPP, CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party and Shiv Sena attended the meeting chaired by Biren Singh himself.

The meeting follows violence that erupted in the immediate aftermath of inter-community clashes in a few northeastern state districts amid protests against the inclusion of the majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

Manipur government had requisitioned Army and Assam Rifles on May 3 and 4. State’s Director General of Police (DGP) P Doungel has said that the situation in the State has improved after the intervention of security forces.

Forces including Rapid Action Force (RAF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed in Manipur, he said and the CRPF chief Kuldeep Singh, has been appointed as the security advisor.

The State government has also appointed Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence), Ashutosh Sinha as the overall operational commander to control the situation in Manipur, the Manipur DGP said.

In a statement earlier on Friday, the Army said that the situation in Manipur had been controlled through coordinated actions by all stakeholders.

Violence had erupted in the immediate aftermath of inter-community clashes in a few districts of the northeastern State amid protests against the inclusion of the majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

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