Amit Shah reviews situation in Manipur; focus on surrender of looted, illegal arms

The focus of the meeting was on bringing back to the pre-May 2023 level of normalcy and on the surrender of illegal and looted arms held by different groups.

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday instructed security personnel to ensure free movement for people on all roads in ethnic violence-hit Manipur from March 8 and take strict action against anyone creating obstructions on streets.

Reviewing the security situation in Manipur at a meeting here, he said the union government is fully committed to restoring lasting peace in the north-eastern state and is providing all necessary assistance in this regard.

The review meeting, which was attended by Governor Ajay Bhalla and others, was the first such meeting held after the President's Rule was imposed in the state after the ruling BJP failed to find a successor to N Biren Singh.

The President's Rule was imposed on February 13 and the State Assembly was put under suspended animation. Singh had quit on February 9.

In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Shah instructed free movement to be ensured for people on all roads in Manipur from March 8. He also asked authorities to take strict action against anyone attempting to create obstructions

"Strict action should continue to be taken in all cases of extortion. Fencing work on both sides of the designated entry points along Manipur's international border should be completed at the earliest. To make Manipur drug-free, the entire network involved in drug trade should be dismantled," the statement said.

The meeting chaired by Shah was also attended by the Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka as well as the, Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Army Commander of the Eastern Command, Directors General of Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles, Security Advisor, Manipur among others.

The latest exercise came as the Governor extended the ultimatum to surrender looted arms and illegal ones. Over 300 weapons, including 246 firearms surrendered by Meitei radical group Arambai Tenggol, were surrendered by the public, primarily in the valley districts. T

A large number of arms were looted from the police in different places in Manipur during the initial phase of the ethnic violence that began in May 2023.

Bhalla, a former Home Secretary, was appointed Governor in December last year and took charge on January 3 and has been meeting stakeholders on how to bring back normalcy in Manipur.