Manipur Violence: Govt Issues Shoot At Sight Orders

• Image Credit: Google

• May 4, 2023 | Guriya Khatun

As the situation in Manipur worsened, 55 columns of the Army and Assam Rifles were deployed, while 14 columns were kept on standby.

Digital Desk: The state government of Manipur has reportedly ordered "Shoot at Sight" in extreme circumstances where all kinds of persuasion, warning, justifiable force, etc have been exhausted following the provisions of legislation under CrPC, 1973 and the situation could not be handled.

With the governor of Manipur's approval, the commissioner for homes, Ranjit Singh, issued the order.

The order states, “In view of the prevailing law and order situation following the unwanted incidents that occurred at the Tribal Solidarity March 2023 held on May 3 and to maintain public order and tranquility in the state, the Governor of Manipur is pleased to authorize all district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates and all the executive magistrates/special executive magistrates detailed by the district magistrates concerned to issue Shoot at sight order in extreme cases.”

9,000 persons rescued in Manipur

As the situation in Manipur worsened, 55 columns of the Army and Assam Rifles were deployed, while 14 columns were kept on standby.

A defence official said on Thursday that 9,000 people have so far been rescued by the forces from the violent areas and provided refuge and that additional people are still being relocated to safer locations.

At the 'Tribal Solidarity March' organised by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in the Churachandpur district's Torbung area on Wednesday to denounce the non-tribal Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, violence broke out in several Manipur districts.

At the rally, which was attended by thousands of protesters, there were clashes between tribal people and non-tribal people.

Following the violence, Manipur's eight districts were placed under a curfew, and the entire northeastern state's mobile internet services were shut down for the next five days.

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