Following the security situation in Manipur, the Central government has decided to deploy an additional 50 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), comprising more than 5,000 personnel, in the state.
On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with security officials at North Block and instructed paramilitary forces to focus on bringing peace and order back to Manipur.
This follows Shah’s decision to monitor the security situation in Manipur by cancelling his political engagements in Maharashtra, where elections are approaching. A review meeting with senior law enforcement officials was held at his residence on Sunday, lasting around four to five hours.
In order to coordinate with all the troops and give a ground assessment report, Shah also sent CRPF DG Anish Dayal Singh, who is also from the Manipur cadre, to Imphal. Shah instructed the security forces to work together harmoniously at his meeting on Monday. He especially directed them to concentrate on bringing peace and order back to Manipur as quickly as possible.
“The senior officers of security forces are learnt to have been directed to increase the number of security personnel if there is need,” said a media report quoting a source.
The Centre stated in a statement last week that Manipur’s security situation has been fragile for the last few days.
“Armed miscreants from both communities in conflict have been indulging in violence, leading to unfortunate loss of lives and disruption in public order. All the security forces have been directed to take necessary steps to restore order and peace. Strict action will be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities,” the statement said.
The Centre has since made the decision to send 50 more CAPF companies—with a combined personnel of over 5,000 individuals—to Manipur. Following an order issued on November 12 in response to violence that started in Jiribam district and extended to other areas, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has already sent 20 CAPF companies—15 from the CRPF and five from the BSF—to the state.
“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.
Three cases have been filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in relation to the recent violent incidents in Manipur. A few days ago, the NIA re-registered three cases that were initially filed by the Manipur Police.
The NIA has taken over cases involving the murder of a woman in Jiribam by armed militants (FIR filed at Jiribam local police on November 8), an armed militant attack on a CRPF post at the Jakuradhor Karong and Borobekra police stations in Jiribam (FIR filed at Borobekra police station on November 11) and the burning of houses and the deaths of civilians in Borobekra (FIR filed at Borobekra police station on November 11).
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