Imphal: In Manipur, where the situation remains akin to a civil war, calls for the withdrawal of security forces accused of bias are growing louder. In response, the central government has deployed an additional 50 companies of security forces to the state. The decision was made following an emergency meeting held on Monday in Delhi with senior officials, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Meanwhile, the situation in the state worsened after 22-year-old K. Athouba was killed by security forces in the village of Babupur, Jiribam, during a crackdown on a gathered crowd. This incident further escalated tensions in the state. Since November 7, at least 20 people have been killed in the ongoing violence.
To control the situation, 35 companies of CRPF and 15 companies of BSF have been sent to Manipur, increasing the total number of security personnel to 218 companies. Each company typically consists of between 100 and 140 soldiers. A representative team from the Ministry of Home Affairs is also expected to arrive in Manipur. Prior to this, the Union Home Secretary, Govind Mohan, arrived in Imphal. Meanwhile, the BJP government under Chief Minister Biren Singh has been criticized for its complete failure to manage the situation, leading to the resignation of eight BJP leaders, including the party president and general secretary of the Jiribam constituency. This came after armed groups attacked and destroyed BJP and Congress offices in Jiribam.
Since May, the Kuki organizations have warned that if the central government does not control the armed groups, they will resort to taking up arms themselves. In Imphal, the indefinite protest by the Meitei organizations continues with increasing violence. Schools in Imphal East, West, and Bishnupur districts remain closed, and the internet ban in these areas has been extended for two more days.
