Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Manipur on Monday on a three-day visit, his first since violence broke out on May 3.
A senior government official said the Home Minister would hold several rounds of security meetings to assess the situation and plan steps to restore normalcy. During his stay, Mr. Shah is likely to travel to Churachandpur, Kangkokpi and Moreh — some of the areas most affected by the ongoing violence. He would also meet with members of civil society organisations representing the Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga clans.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Meitei outfit, said in a statement that Mr. Shah’s visit was a positive step towards restoring peace in the State. The COCOMI (and other Imphal-based organisations) stressed the need to take action against poppy growers and drug dealers in the hills surrounding the Imphal Valley. “The people of Manipur will not be able to come to any solution unless the State and Central governments take immediate actions to uproot these narco-terrorist aggressors,” it said.
The United People’s Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), Kuki militant organisations that are in a suspension of operations pact with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Manipur government, said the Home Minister’s visit has given a sense of security among the Kuki-Zo tribe.
Ahead of the visit, the Armed Forces arrested 25 people possessing guns in the State. A Defence statement said the Army caught 22 people after receiving information about armed miscreants trying to target security forces and torch houses in the hilly Yaingangpokpi area of Imphal East district.
In a separate operation, the Armed Forces apprehended three miscreants in Imphal’s New Checkon area and recovered an INSAS rifle, 60 cartridges, a Chinese hand grenade, and a detonator.
Meanwhile, around 500 Kuki-Zo women staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Monday, demanding the imposition of President’s Rule in the State. The women, most of whom have family and friends in different parts of Manipur, alleged that the violence is being perpetrated with assistance from the State government’s law enforcement officials.
At least 115 people have been killed in Manipur since the violence broke out in the Churachandpur district on May 3. Here’s a video explaining the roots of conflict in the State. Also, check out The Hindu’s explainer on what triggered the conflict.
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