New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sounded an alert in Assam, Mizoram and Nagaland asking the law enforcing agencies in these three States to remain on alert to stop any possible spillover of Manipur violence.
“All the State governments have been asked to maintain strict vigil along its border with Manipur. The central security agencies have also been asked to assist the State governments in this direction,” said a senior government official privy to the development.
People of both the Kuki and Meetei communities of Manipur reside in all these three States.
“Although, all the three States shelter people from violence affected Manipur, there was no large-scale migration,” the official said, quoting reports.
It is worth mentioning that following escalating violence in Manipur’s Jiribam district bordering Assam’s Cachar district, Assam police have heightened security measures along the inter-state border.
According to sources, round-the-clock patrolling, including riverine patrols, has been intensified to prevent any unrest from spilling over into Assam. Following strict directives from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Director General of Police GP Singh, the Police has intensified patrolling and surveillance along the border. Joint operations are being conducted by Assam Police and security forces along the border.
The escalation in security measures was taken in the light of the volatile situation in Manipur, especially after the killing of 10 suspected Kuki militants by CRPF and the recovery of 5 bodies from Barak river in Cachar, Assam and abduction of 6 Meitei women and children from Jakuradhor, Jiribam district, Manipur.
“Cachar police embarked continuous river patrols along the Barak River, fostering a secure and strategic atmosphere along the volatile Assam-Manipur border,” the Cachar police said in its “X” handle.
The Cachar police has also launched a strategic road march from Jiri river bridge along the Assam-Manipur border, traversing villages to bolster public safety and enhance security for community welfare.
Recently, the dead body of a Meetei woman, who was abducted by suspected militants, was found floating in the Barak river.
Champhai district of Mizoram shares its border with Manipur whereas Nagaland’s Phek district shares its border with Manipur.
Cachar SP Nomal Mahatta personally is visiting the border areas to assess the situation. He emphasized that strict security measures have been implemented to prevent any untoward incidents in Cachar district due to the ongoing violence in Manipur's Jiribam district. Police patrols, commando deployments, and riverine patrols by the River Police are being conducted 24/7.
The SP further stated that strict action will be taken against any anti-social elements trying to enter Assam and disrupt peace.
It's worth noting that a significant number of Kuki and Meitei people reside in the Manipur border areas of Cachar district, Assam. Additionally, the bodies of many victims of the Manipur violence have been sent to Silchar Medical College for post-mortem examinations. As of Tuesday, 8 bodies are currently in the morgue of Silchar Medical College, according to sources in the college.
As per statistics, more than 7,000 people from Manipur have taken shelter in different parts of Mizoram. People mostly from the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar-Mizo communities, fled to Mizoram after ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year. Similarly, around 6,000 people from violence affected Manipur have taken shelter in Nagaland.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity, representing Kuki-Zho-Hmar community on Tuesday urged the Government of India to intervene politically to douse the present political turmoil by ensuring constitutional protection to the minority Kuki-Zo community. against the repressive and nepotistic administration sadly led by N. Biren Singh under Article 239A for lasting peace and stability in the region.
“Casualties of war, whether the victim belonging to Kuki-Zo or the Meitei, is rightly regrettable but the choreographic political drama over the death of six individuals from a particular community is preposterously dangerous political discourse,” the Committee on Tribal Unity said.
Vehemently criticizing Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh for his partial role in the conflict, the tribal committee alleged that since May last year chief minister Biren Singh is the mastermind of this political charade.
“In fact, the audio record of his candid admission to his involvement on the genocide pogrom has been accepted by the Supreme Court of India for further investigation,” it said.
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