Manipur violence: Intensify vigil on Indo-Myanmar border, MHA to security agencies

Security agencies have been asked to intensify patrolling along the 1643 km long India-Myanmar border by the Home Ministry. Intelligence reports suggested that insurgent groups are using the porous border to smuggle arms and ammunition from Myanmar to create unrest in Manipur.

New Delhi: Security agencies have been asked to intensify patrolling along the 1643 km long India-Myanmar border, following intelligence reports that insurgent groups were using the porous border to smuggle arms and ammunition from Myanmar to create unrest in Manipur.

Intelligence reports suggested that firearms used in trouble-torn Manipur were smuggled via Myanmar. The decision was taken after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's meeting with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Governor Anusuiya Uikey in New Delhi recently. India and Myanmar share an international boundary of 1643 km which touches four north-eastern states Arunachal Pradesh (520 km) Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km) and Mizoram (510 km). The five districts of Manipur, including Chandel, Churachandpur, Kamjong, Tengnoupal and Ukhrul share their borders with Myanmar.

Recently, Home Minister Amit Shah said that fencing work of 10 km of the Manipur-Myanmar border was completed whereas tendering work for carrying out 80 km of border fencing has been completed and a survey of the remaining border is underway. "Ever since the violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, a large group of insurgents has already infiltrated into Manipur from their bases in Myanmar," a security official said. Earlier, Lieutenant General (retired) L Nishikanta Singh said that about 300 militants had entered Manipur from Myanmar for creating unrest in the state.

As per the intelligence report, a large consignment of arms and ammunition entered Manipur via the open border ever since the violence erupted in the state between Kukis and Meiteis on May 3. "A third country might have been involved in the supply of arms and ammunition to the insurgent groups in Manipur via Myanmar," the security official said.

Aware of this fact, the joint teams of Manipur police and central forces were conducting massive search operations in all the suspected and sensitive areas of the state. During search operations, the security agencies recovered more than 1150 firearms of different types, 14,000 ammunition and 300 bombs from various places in the state. Quoting reports, the security official said that in Tamenglong, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Kakching districts three 51 mm mortar shells, three 84mm mortar shells and one IED were recovered.