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Manipur unrest: CM Biren Singh visits Delhi to meet Shah; fresh violence surfaces
Fresh violence erupted in Manipur’s border areas of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts as unidentified miscreants torched a few half-burnt houses in the Torbung area
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Sunday left for New Delhi on a special flight along with four cabinet ministers to meet Union home minister Amit Shah to discuss the situation in the backdrop of the violence in the northeastern state, officials said.
The cabinet minister who accompanied the chief minister included Th Biswajit (Power), Yumnam Khemchand (Rural Development), Govindas Konthoujam (Works) and Th Basantakumar (Education)
The sudden visit of the state chief minister came at a time when the state is slowly limping back to normal following the recent unrest.
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Even though the reason for the visit could not be ascertained immediately, people familiar with the matter claimed that the state leaders were invited for a meeting at Shah’s residence at 8pm on Sunday.
“No one is aware of the agenda of the meeting not to speak of when they will return,” claim the people cited above.
Meanwhile, fresh violence erupted in Manipur’s border areas of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts as unidentified miscreants torched a few half-burnt houses in the Torbung area, officials said. However, there is no report of any casualty. The incident took place late Saturday night.
Manipur security advisor Kuldiep Singh told reporters on Sunday that following the incident, two Border Security Forces (BSF) companies were deployed in the area, adding that three more companies of the BSF were dispatched to maintain law and order situation.
In another incident, two tipper trucks were set on fire by some unidentified miscreants at a village under Saparmeina police station in Kangpokpi district on Sunday morning, informed Kuldiep Singh.
The Saturday and Sunday’s development came days after the violence broke out in the state on May 3.
Violent clashes broke out between tribals and people belonging to the majority Meitei community in Manipur last week, displacing thousands of people. The clashes were preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.
As per the latest figures, 73 people have died in the incidents of violence while 243 were injured and close to 1809 houses were burnt down during the violence in Manipur.
The security advisor also informed that two Assam Rifles personnel were also injured in an attack by unidentified armed miscreants when a joint team of army and Assam Rifles were on an area domination patrol at Lailampat in Churachandpur district on Saturday morning.
Also Read: 600 Kuki refugees returned to Manipur from Assam, more following: Police
So far 385 cases have been registered, said Kuldiep.
Since the violence broke out, around 46,145 people have been evacuated to their respective destinations while 26,358 people are staying at 178 relief camps. Besides, 3,124 people were escorted to the airport to take flights.
On being asked about the report of blocking the highway at Kangpokpi, Kuldiep said that the breakthrough for running National Highway 2 has not yet been completed. “However we’re trying to ensure the supply of essential commodities via Jiribam route,” he added.
The 62 companies of the paramilitary forces and 126 columns of the army and Assam Rifles are now pushing into the foothill areas, he informed.
