Govt to deploy additional 5,000 CAPF personnel to violence-hit Manipur

The union government has decided to send an additional 50 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), comprising over 5,000 personnel to Manipur in light of the security situation in the state.

Meeting security officials at North Block on Nov 18, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also gave directions for paramilitary forces to work hard on restoring peace and order in Manipur.

This comes a day after Shah on Nov 17 cancelled his political program in Maharashtra, where elections are around the corner, to monitor the security situation in Manipur.

Shah held a review meeting at his home with senior security officials that lasted for around four hours. Shah recently dispatched Central Reserve Police Officer (CRPF) Director G Anish Dayal Singh, who is also from the Manipur cadre, to Imphal to send a ground assessment report and coordinate with all the forces, sources were quoted as saying.

In his meeting on Nov 18, Shah directed all security forces to coordinate smoothly, and specifically asked them to focus on restoring peace and order in Manipur as soon as possible. “The senior officers of security forces are learnt to have been directed to increase the number of security personnel if there is need,” sources were quoted as saying.

The union government last week said that the security scenario in Manipur has been fragile for the past few days. “Armed miscreants from both communities in conflict have been indulging in violence, leading to the unfortunate loss of lives and disruption in public order. All the security forces have been directed to take the necessary steps to restore order and peace. Strict action will be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities,” the statement said.

The Centre has subsequently decided to dispatch an additional 50 CAPF companies, comprising more than 5,000 personnel to Manipur. This comes after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had already rushed 20 additional CAPF companies – 15 from the CRPF and five from the Border Security Forces (BSF) – to the state following an order issued on Nov 12 after violence broke out in Jiribam district and spread to other places.

“An additional 50 companies have been ordered to be rushed to Manipur by this week. While 35 units will be drawn from the CRPF, the rest will be from the BSF,” a source was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered three cases in connection with the latest instances of violence in Manipur. Three cases, which were originally registered by Manipur Police, were re-registered by the NIA a few days ago.

The cases recently taken over by the NIA are those include the murder of a woman in Jiribam by armed militants, an attack on a CRPF post located at Jakuradhor Karong and Borobekra police stations in Jiribam by militants and the burning of houses and killing of civilians at Borobekra.