Manipur violence: In the aftermath of recent violence in Manipur, the Chairman of the three-member 'Commission of Inquiry' reached the northeastern state to probe the incident. The commission was constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Justice Ajai Lamba, former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court (Retd.) who is the Chairperson of the Judicial Inquiry Commission and Himangshu Sekhar Das (Retd.) IAS who is a member of the commission arrived in the city.
Both the Chairman and member were received in Imphal Airport by Vineet Joshi, Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur and Rajiv Singh, DGP, Manipur. The judicial commission under the chairmanship of the Gauhati High Court's former Chief Justice Ajai Lamba will start the inquiry. On May 3, large-scale violence broke out in Manipur and as a result of the violence, many residents of Manipur lost their lives and several others got seriously injured.
MHA appointed a Commission of Inquiry on June 4
Earlier on May 29, the Manipur government recommended for the institution of the Judicial Inquiry Commission to look into the causes and associated factors of the crisis and the incidents that happened on May 3 and afterwards under the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. The Ministry of Home Affairs on June 4 appointed a Commission of Inquiry consisting of Justice Ajai Lamba, Himanshu Shekhar Das and Aloka Prabhakar.
The Home Ministry has also asked the probe panel to submit its report to the Central government as soon as possible but not later than six months from the date of its first sitting. The inquiry of the Commission, whose headquarters shall be at Imphal, shall also be in regard to the complaints or allegations that may be made before the panel by any individual, or association, in such form and accompanied by such affidavits, as may be specified by the Commission.
The Commission is slated to make an inquiry on the causes and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities, which took place in the state and thereafter, the sequence of events leading to, and all the facts relating to such violence, whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty in this regard on the part of any of the responsible authorities or individuals, the adequacy of the administrative measures taken to prevent and to deal with the said violence and riots.
About Manipur clash:
At least 100 people lost their lives and 310 others were injured in the ethnic violence in Manipur that broke out a month ago. A total of 37,450 people are currently sheltered in 272 relief camps. Clashes first broke out on May 3 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. Tribals Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts. Around 10,000 Army and Assam Rifles personnel have been deployed in the state to bring back peace.
(With ANI inputs)
