Amit Shah in Manipur to review situation of violence-hit North Eastern state

Imphal, May 30: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday (May 29) chaired a meeting with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and ministers of the state, senior leaders and officials here to assess the situation and plan further steps to restore normalcy in the region.

On the first day of his four-day long visit to the state, Shah held a meeting in the presence of Union Minister for State Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, and Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka among other officials concerned in the state as well as the Centre. Soon after the Home Minister arrived in Imphal on his four-day visit to Manipur, the meeting was conducted as fresh violence hit the northeastern State a day ago.

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The meeting aimed at assessing the situation in Manipur and plan further steps to restore normalcy there. During his stay in Manipur till June 1, the Home Minister will hold several rounds of security meetings. The visit was scheduled as five persons, including a Manipur Police Officer, were killed, a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA's house was vandalised and over 1,000 arms and ammunition were reportedly looted by a mob from armouries of Manipur Rifles and IRB on Sunday (May 28) while combined Central and state security forces gunned down more than 30 suspected Kuki militants in the state in last 48 hours.

There are also reports of mob looting all arms and ammunition from the armouries of 7 Manipur Rifles at Khabeisoi, 2nd Manipur Rifles at Deulahane and 3rd India Reserve Battalion at Thoubal. As per security forces, fierce encounters are on between suspected Kuki militants and security personnel at the Kadangband and nearby Singda areas in the Imphal West district. Apart from attacking civilians in several foothills of Manipur, the militants also torched over 200 houses in three villages near Sugnu in the Kakching district late Saturday (May 27) night.

Also read: Manipur Violence update: Curfew relaxed in East & West Manipur

Amit Shah called on Governor Anusuiya Uikey. Shah also chaired a meeting with Chief Minister N Biren Singh, state ministers, senior leaders and officials to assess the situation and plan further steps to restore normalcy in the region.