Manipur violence: States step up evacuation efforts, arrange special flights and buses

Several states have made arrangements including sending special flights to bring back their students and residents from ethnic clashes-hit Manipur.

Several states have made arrangements including sending special flights to bring back their students and residents from ethnic clashes-hit Manipur, where at least 55 people have been killed so far in widespread violence that started last week.

Students from Tripura, studying in Manipur, arrive in Agartala by a special flight arranged by the government. (ANI)

Since May 3, clashes took place between Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal Valley with over 53% of the state population, and the tribal communities, especially Kukis, residing in hill districts. The immediate trigger for the violence was a proposal to include Meiteis in the scheduled tribe category.

A total of 128 students of Sikkim were rescued from violence-hit Manipur, and were being brought back to the state on Sunday, officials said. The stranded students were first brought to Kolkata from Imphal on flights arranged by the Sikkim government. From Kolkata, they boarded buses for Siliguri in north Bengal, from where they will be brought to Gangtok by SNT buses, officials said.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde said they were closely watching the situation in the northeastern state. “A special aircraft has been arranged to rescue 22 stranded students back to Maharashtra and soon this aircraft will enter Maharashtra with these students,” the chief minister said in a statement.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot also voiced concern over the safety of students from the state. “The news of some students of Rajasthan being trapped in Manipur violence is worrying,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Kerala government has also requested the Manipur government to take care of the safety of its residents stranded in the violence-hit state. Senior Congress leader VD Satheesan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to ensure safety of Kerala residents stuck in Manipur and their return to the southern state.

In the letter, Satheesan, the leader of opposition in Kerala assembly, also raised concerns about “the tragic events of vandalism of Christian churches and persecution of members of the Christian community in the state of Manipur”. His statement came a day after the Church raised its concern over Christians been targeted in Manipur.

On Saturday, the Andhra Pradesh government set up a helpline and a control room in Delhi to help bring back state’s students, who are studying in Manipur. “We are in constant touch with Manipur government and local administration to ensure all help,” the Andhra Pradesh government said in a statement.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that efforts were underway to reach out to state’s students in Manipur and provided helpline numbers for those seeking assistance.

The Nagaland government has deployed 22 buses to bring back around 600 people from the state who are stranded in Manipur, said deputy chief minister Y Patton.

The Tripura government led by chief minister Manik Saha arranged two special flights to evacuate state’s students.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Sunday made arrangements to evacuate stranded people and bring in additional troops to Manipur. Curfew was relaxed in some parts of the state on Sunday.

The AAI in coordination with the Manipur government indefinitely extended 24-hour flight operations at the Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in the state capital Imphal. As internet services have been suspended in the state, the AAI has set up help desks with LAN internet facility at the airport for the printing of flight tickets with food services available for stranded passengers.