Amid escalating violence in Manipur, the Central Government has decided to deploy 90 additional companies of security forces to restore peace and maintain law and order in the troubled state. "Today, we had a security review meeting, and in this meeting, we reviewed the security of all the districts and Imphal city. During the meeting, Army, police, CRPF, BSF, ITBP officials were present. Whatever problems come up, we are all together... We discussed the issues with DCs and SPs of all districts. You have known by now that we are getting approximately 90 companies of extra force deployment, over and above which was the actual deployment here... 198 companies were here and 70 more companies are coming, and a sizeable portion of that has already reached Imphal," said Kuldiep Singh, security advisor, Manipur government.
258 lives lost since may last year
Addressing a press conference on Friday, communal violence in Manipur in May 2023 claimed the lives of 258 people, including civilians and terrorists, state security adviser Kuldeep Singh said while addressing a press conference on Friday.
Arrests and weapons recovery
Security forces arrested 32 people for vandalising and burning property of ministers and parliamentarians. In addition, authorities recovered nearly 3,000 confiscated weapons as part of efforts to restore order in the violence-torn country.
Last rites amid heightened security
The funeral of nine victims, including three women and three children from the Meitei community, was held under tight security in Jiribam district on Friday. The bodies, which were initially kept at the Assam Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) for post-mortem, were returned back by the victims’ families after the case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under pressure from the Joint Action Committee (JAC) representing the victims’ families.
Timeline of recent riots
On November 11, after attacks on the Borobekra police station and a nearby CRPF camp, a gunbattle broke out between Kuk-Zo armed rebels and security forces in which ten suspected militants were killed. Tragically, the bodies of women and children who went missing during the attack were later found in the Jiri and Barak rivers of Jiribam and Cachar districts.
Further escalation
The violence spread after the mutilated bodies of two elderly men were found in Jakuradhor market debris, leading to unrest in Jiribam and Imphal Valley. Protests turned deadly as security forces allegedly fired on demonstrators, killing a protester identified as Kh Athouba.
Demands for justice
The JAC initially refused to conduct last rites until the state government ensured justice for the victims, demanded compensation, and offered government jobs to the victims’ families. The situation in Jiribam, which had largely remained peaceful, deteriorated earlier in June following the discovery of a farmer’s mutilated body, exacerbating the ethnic tensions.
Government’s response
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently reviewed the security situation in Manipur, instructing agencies to ensure a coordinated and swift response. With the NIA taking over the investigation into the killings, the state administration aims to address the unrest while appealing for calm among its residents.
Ongoing search operations
Authorities continue extensive search operations to dismantle militant networks and prevent further escalation in the troubled regions. The government remains under pressure to address the root causes of the ethnic strife that has plagued the state for over a year.
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