Over 900 Security Personnel Deployed By Centre in Manipur Amid Fresh Ethnic Violence

Imphal: Amid escalating tensions caused by ethnic clashes between the Kuki-Zo-Chin tribes and the Meiteis in Manipur, the Home Ministry has dispatched an additional 900 security personnel from paramilitary forces, including CRPF, BSF, ITBP, and SSB, to the state. The personnel have been deployed in several districts to restore order and peace.

Since the initial outbreak of violence on May 3, the Defence Ministry and the Home Ministry have already deployed over 40,000 army and paramilitary personnel, including the Assam Rifles and various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to handle the situation.

However, both the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and Kuki groups Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) have accused state police forces and some central forces of taking biased roles, adding to the complexities of the situation.

In addition, some women organizations are causing disruptions to the security forces’ independent operations by setting up roadblocks to delay the movement of CAPFs and state forces. They express distrust and demand to identify central police personnel due to allegations of partisan behavior.

The security forces have been actively recovering looted arms and ammunition, with 1,195 looted arms and 14,322 various types of ammunition retrieved across the state. Since May 3, mobs and insurgents have looted over 4,000 sophisticated arms and lakhs of ammunition from police stations and outposts.

The situation remains sensitive, and the deployment of additional personnel aims to stabilize the region and prevent further violence.