Home Minister Amit Shah reviews Manipur situation, more forces, anti-riot vehicles sent to state

Amit Shah. File Pic

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reviewed the situation in Manipur with Chief Minister N Biren Singh and top officials, even as the Centre dispatched additional security forces and anti-riot vehicles to maintain peace there, sources said.

Shah, who is closely monitoring the situation in Manipur and is in constant touch with top functionaries of the state and central governments throughout the day, held the review meeting through video conference.

The chief minister, the state's chief secretary and director general of police, union home secretary and other senior officials attended the meeting, sources said.

Shah, who is staying put in the national capital away from poll campaign in Karnataka, is also taking regular inputs from security and intelligence agencies about the Manipur situation, which by and large remained peaceful on Friday.

Around 1,000 more central paramilitary personnel with anti-riot vehicles reached Manipur on Friday, sources said.

They said Article 355 of the Constitution has not been invoked in Manipur. Under the provision, the central government can handle the law and order machinery of a state.

Also Read: Manipur violence: Amit Shah speaks to CM Biren Singh; RAF airlifted

Clashes broke out in Manipur on Wednesday and intensified overnight with counter-attacks being mounted by rival communities in retaliation to earlier attacks after Naga and Kuki tribals organised a 'Tribal Solidarity March' to protest moves to give scheduled tribe status to the Meitei community.

The state government on Thursday issued shoot-at-sight orders in "extreme cases" to contain the spiralling violence which has displaced more than 9,000 people from their villages.

On Thursday, Shah held two meetings via video-conferencing attended by the Manipur chief minister, the state's chief secretary, the police chief, the Union home secretary and other top officials of the central government.

He also held telephonic conversations with chief ministers Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland, Zoramthanga of Mizoram and Himanta Biswa Sarma of Assam in view of the situation in Manipur on Thursday.

Meanwhile, at least five Deputy Inspector General (DIG) rank officers and seven senior superintendents of police (SSP) and SP-rank officers of the CRPF have been tasked with coordinating the deployment of various security forces in violence-hit Manipur, sources said.

Some of these senior officers are being rushed in from Delhi and Ranchi, a source said.

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