Manipur sees drop in violence, rise in drug seizures under President’s rule: Officials

Despite the relative calm, challenges remain for the security forces to recover thousands of lost arms and addressing the activities of the banned valley-based terrorist groups involved in extortion and petty crimes, officials added.

Imphal: Manipur has witnessed a significant decline in violence, with a sharp drop in civilian deaths and injuries and a marked increase in drug seizures since the imposition of President’s rule in February, officials said here on Sunday.

Besides, Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and other paramilitary forces are also working tirelessly to recover thousands of weapons looted from police armouries following the outbreak of violence in May 2023, they said.

Despite the relative calm, challenges remain for the security forces to recover thousands of lost arms and addressing the activities of the banned valley-based terrorist groups involved in extortion and petty crimes, they added.

The recent crackdown on cadres of Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol, accused of allegedly engineering violence against the Kuki people and indulging in largescale violence within the valley, has also been helpful in bringing a sense of peace in certain parts of the state, officials said.

Recently, a dismissed police head constable of Manipur Police and a prominent Arambai Tenggol leader Asem Kanan Singh and four associates were arrested in a joint operation of Manipur Police and the CBI.

Singh was wanted for many cases including an alleged attack on Additional Superintendent of Manipur police last year.

After the arrest of Singh, the outfit announced distancing itself from any violent activities being done on the streets in its name.

During the period of central rule beginning February 13, only one protest-related fatality has been reported, a stark contrast to the 260 fatalities documented from May 3, 2023, until the enforcement of President's rule, they said.

Injuries have also seen a significant drop, with just 29 new cases reported in the last four months compared to a total of 1,776 since May 2023.

From February 13 to June 26, the region saw no incidents of arson or vandalism, while cumulative incidents of such nature crossed 17,000 before the imposition of President's rule.

In the fight against drug abuse, Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and paramilitary forces have stepped up their operations, resulting in the arrest of 84 people under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act during the central rule period.

The security forces have seized 24.4 kg of heroin, 25.7 kg of brown sugar, 31.8 kg of opium, and over 379 kg of 'Ganja', contributing to a stabilisation of the drug issue in the region, officials said.

However, the issue of unrecovered firearms continues to pose a significant challenge for the security agencies.

Since the imposition of central rule, no new arms have been reported lost from police armouries, but of the initial 6,020 firearms lost, many are understood to have been recovered or surrendered.

In the last four months alone, 2,390 weapons were seized out of which many were looted weapons.

Moreover, security forces have recently demolished 63 illegal bunkers, adding to the total of 548 that had been dismantled since May 2023.

While arrests related to extortion continue, with 336 people apprehended in the last four months out of a total of 601, experts are voicing concerns over the resurgence of banned terror groups, including the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People's Liberation Army (PLA), Kanglei Yawol Kanba Lup (KYKL), and People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK).

Officials alleged that these groups are running extortion rackets besides indulging in out of court settlements in cases related to matrimonial and property disputes. Manipur Police recently cracked down on such a gang and arrested some people, they added.