Home Minister Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting on Manipur situation

Digital Desk: Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting in Delhi on Monday to assess the ongoing situation in Manipur, amidst recent escalations of violence in the northeastern state. 

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Home Affairs in North Block, saw the participation of key officials including Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau Chief Tapan Deka, Army Chief General Manoj Pandey, Army Chief (Designate) Lt General Upendra Dwivedi, GoC Three Core HS Sahi, Security Advisor to Manipur Kuldeep Singh, Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi, Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh and Assam Rifles DG Pradeep Chandran Nair joined the meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs in North Block, Delhi.

The discussion followed a briefing by Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey to Shah, underscoring the urgency of addressing the current unrest. Since May 3 last year, Manipur has grappled with ethnic tensions, notably sparked by protests regarding the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category.

Recent incidents, including the burning of houses and displacement of residents in Kotlen after a fatal altercation, have heightened concerns over communal harmony and security in the region. Manipur Police reported that unknown assailants were responsible for these acts of violence.

In response to the volatile situation, approximately 600 individuals from Jiribam have sought refuge in Assam’s Cachar district, prompting heightened security measures along the state border by local authorities.

The meeting chaired by Shah aimed to strategize comprehensive measures to restore peace and stability in Manipur, emphasizing coordinated efforts among security forces and administrative bodies to mitigate further unrest and ensure the safety of all residents in the affected areas.