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Army Chief General Manoj Pande visits violence-hit Manipur ahead of Amit Shah's visit

Manipur violence: Amid fresh incidents of violence in at least three districts, Manipur CM N Biren Singh on Friday again appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony and announced holding of peace talks with all communities and stakeholders to normalise the situation.

Reported By : Manish Prasad Edited By : Sheenu Sharma
Imphal
Updated on: May 27, 2023 17:30 IST
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Image Source : PTI/ REPRESENTATIONAL (FILE). Demolished houses in a violence-hit area of Manipur.

Manipur violence:  Two days before the scheduled visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the ethnic violence-hit Manipur, Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande reached Manipur today (May 27) to hold meetings with various civil society organisations in Churachandpur district.

Defence sources said that the COAS arrived in Imphal on Saturday on a two-day visit. He will visit various districts where he will interact with the local commanders and obtain a first-hand account of the ground situation. General Pande will also interact with the troops.

On Sunday (May 28), he will meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Chief Security Advisor to Manipur Kuldiep Singh and would discuss and deliberate over the current situation and future trajectory, in order to restore normalcy in the trouble-torn state at the earliest.

A Manipur government official said that in view of the widespread ethnic violence in at least 11 of the 16 districts of the state, the state administration had requisitioned Army and Assam Rifles on May 3. As an immediate response, the Army and Assam Rifles deployed 135 columns of troops to diffuse the situation by carrying out active domination of the sensitive and fringe areas.

Approximately 35,000 people from different communities have been evacuated to safe zones and immediate relief and humanitarian aid has been provided to the displaced civilians by the Army and Assam Rifles.

Violence erupted in three districts:

 

Amid fresh incidents of violence in at least three districts, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday (May 26) again appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony and announced holding of peace talks with all communities and stakeholders to normalise the situation.

Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Nityanand Rai, who is now on a visit to the strife-torn state, said that Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Manipur on May 29 and stay for three days to resolve the ongoing ethnic crisis.

Police said that incidents of violence including arson were reported from three districts- Imphal East, Churachandpur, and Bishnupur. Army and various other central forces immediately rushed to the violence-hit areas and brought the situation under control.

Singh, while talking to the media in the Secretariat, said that the Army, Central Armed Police Force, Manipur Rifles, police, and Village Defence Force had been adequately deployed at 38 most volatile and mixed populated areas of different districts.

The Chief Minister said that a team of MLAs from Manipur on Thursday met the Union Home Minister in Guwahati and apprised him of the prevailing situation. "Our government's priority is making peace feel safe and secure. People must have faith in the government to restore peace and normalcy."

Rai, who visited some districts, told the media that the recent unrest would affect the development and welfare activities. He said all grievances, demands, problems and issues would be resolved through talks and peaceful process and people of different communities must have faith in the government and shun all forms of violence.

Meanwhile, some women organisations on Friday burned the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Home Minister, the Chief Minister, newly appointed Security Advisor to Manipur Government Kuldiep Singh and overall operational commander Ashutosh Sinha.

One of the protesters Sandhyarani said following the May 3 incident, people across the state are living in panic and uncertain situations. Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Rajkumar Ranjan Singh and Naga People's Front (NPF) Lok Sabha member Lorho S. Pfoze jointly urged the people to maintain peace and ethnic harmony and keep their faith and trust in the government to control the situation.

Academician turned BJP politician Singh, elected to the Lok Sabha from Inner Manipur parliamentary seat, while Pfoze, a physician turned politician, was elected from Outer Manipur seat.

Singh, who earlier in a letter to Prime Minister Modi had said that Kuki leaders, including their 10 MLAs, have demanded a separate political administration (equivalent to separate state) for the tribals under tremendous pressure from various quarters including the militants- on Friday left Imphal for New Delhi.

(With agencies inputs)

ALSO READ: Amit Shah to visit violence-hit Manipur to resolve all disputes, urges everyone to maintain peace

ALSO READ: Manipur crisis: 3 incidents of fresh violence reported in Kadangband of Imphal West district | VIDEO

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