More Central forces heading to Manipur, Amit Shah gives directions to restore order

He sent CRPF DG Anish Dayal Singh, who belongs to the Manipur cadre of the IPS, to Imphal to send a ground assessment report and coordinate with the forces there, a source said.

“Senior officers of the security forces are learnt to have been directed to increase the number of security personnel if need be,” the source said.

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

The move to send more troops comes in the wake of the deteriorating situation there following the killings in Jiribam on November 11.

The next day, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered 20 CAPF companies – 15 from the CRPF and 5 from BSF – to the state after the Jiribam incident triggered protests elsewhere in the state.

On November 14, the Centre reimposed the Disturbed Areas status under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the jurisdiction of six police stations in the state’s valley areas, including Jiribam.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the notification, citing the “volatile” situation in Manipur and instances of “active participation of insurgent groups in heinous acts of violence”.

In Jiribam Sunday night, 22-year-old Kh Athouba Singh was shot dead during a confrontation between security forces and a large group of protesters near the local police station.

Tensions have been running high ever since November 11 when armed men, who police said were Hmar militants, attacked a CRPF camp and a nearby relief camp and allegedly abducted six persons of a Meitei family – three women and three children including an infant. Five bodies have since been recovered from a river, triggering violent protests. A sixth body, found Monday but still to be identified, is believed to be that of the last member of the missing family.

Also Monday, the state government extended the suspension of Internet services in all valley districts and in the districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi by another two days.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered three cases in connection with the latest incidents of violence.

These cases, which were originally registered by Manipur Police, have been taken over by the NIA – these are related to the murder of a woman in Jiribam by armed men (FIR registered at Jiribam local police on November 8); attack on a CRPF post located at Jakuradhor Karong and Borobekra police stations, Jiribam, by armed men (FIR registered at Borobekra police station on November 11); and burning of houses and killing of a civilian at Borobekra (FIR registered at Borobekra police station on November 11).