The Union Home Ministry will deploy 50 companies of the Central Armed Police Force to violence-hit Manipur to handle the present “volatile” situation in Jiribam district – where at least 19 people have been killed this month alone – sources told NDTV Monday evening. The meeting was chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah, who sought extra information. Mr Shah held a meeting on Sunday too.
Subsequent to the meeting a ministry team will visit violence-affected areas shortly to help state officials in managing the situation, sources said. There is also a discussion on further re-imposing the contentious AFSPA, or Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, in ‘hyper-sensitive’ areas, sources added.
AFSPA was re-imposed in six police station areas, including Jiribam, on Thursday.
AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the military to operate anywhere that is declared a ‘disturbed area’; no military personnel in an AFSPA area can be prosecuted without the central government’s nod.
Prior to Thursday 19 police station areas were not covered by AFSPA.
Meanwhile, sources also said a joint coordinated action plan involving central and state forces, as well as other agencies, will be initiated to ensure “full synergy” in addressing the situation in the state.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who continues to stare down calls to quit, is to meet MLAs this evening.
All of this comes amid renewed violence in the northeastern state after fighting broke out over a year ago between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community.
The conflict has simmered since, splitting earlier cohabitating ethnic communities.
As part of that ongoing violence, last week there were attacks on the home of an MLA of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and on those of at least four other lawmakers, including the Health Minister.
READ | Mob Tries To Storm Chief Minister’s Home As Manipur Protests Escalate
A mob even tried to storm the Chief Minister’s house, setting off another big clash between security forces and protesters and resulting in the former having to fire tear gas shells to disperse the latter.
Also last week six people – three women and three children – were abducted by a group of suspected Kuki insurgents from Manipur’s Jiribam district. All six were found dead, five days after the abduction, in neighbouring Assam, according to top sources in the Manipur government.
The killings prompted furious protests in Manipur, leading to clashes between the state government and protesters. On Sunday one protester – a 21-year-old man – was shot dead.
READ | Man Shot Dead Amid Tension Over Killing Of Women, Kids In Jiribam
It is unclear who fired the bullet that killed the 21-year-old, but protesters claim police commandos fired weapons to disperse the mob, and that Athouba was killed in that firing.
Meanwhile, another group of insurgents were engaged in a gunfight with the CRPF, or Central Reserve Police Force, sources said. Ten suspected Kuki militants were killed in that fight.
A group of people from the Kuki tribes surrounded the hospital in which their bodies were stored and began a protest to block its transport, claiming the 10 were “village volunteers”.
A ‘coffin rally’ – protesters carrying the coffins containing the 10 bodies – has been announced.
On the political front, the National People’s Party withdrew support to the BJP, claiming that Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s government had “completely failed to resolve the crisis”.
The NPP, though, has said it has not withdrawn support from the government, and is acting specifically against the Biren Singh-led administration only. “We have suggested that trust needs to be built… it is because of trust deficit that efforts to bring peace are not succeeding. (But) no trust-building efforts were undertaken,” NPP boss and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sagma declared.
READ | “No Trust-Building”: NDA Ally Tears Into Biren Singh Over Manipur Violence
The NPP has 7 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly. The BJP has 32, one over majority.
The ruling party has also come under pressure from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP’s ideological mentor, which has demanded a swift resolution of the persistent crisis.
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