Covid-19: Manipur seeks suspension of central troops' movement from outside to check coronavirus spread

With nearly 50% of Covid-19 active positive cases in Manipur found among the central security forces, the state government has urged the ministry of home affairs to temporarily suspend movement of the troops from outside to contain further spread of the virus.

Chief Minister N. Biren Singh told reporters in Imphal on Tuesday that he had recently written to the MHA to suspend further transfer and posting of the central security forces for sometime. He said the decision was taken after it was found that 800 of the total 1,608 active Covid-19 positive cases were from the central forces.

Singh said a meeting of senior officials of the central forces (army and paramilitary) has also been convened on Wednesday to review the measures being taken by their units to combat further spread of coronavirus among their personnel posted in the state.

A large number of central security forces are deployed in Manipur due to its prolonged militancy problem and a long border with Myanmar.

The state reported 74 fresh positive cases in the past 24-hours taking the total number of Covid-19 positive cases to 5, 444. Of these 1,608 are still active cases. A total of 24 persons have died so far due to the virus. Recovery rate in the state, however, stood at nearly 70%.

Singh said that an SOP will be issued for the inter-state and intra-state movement of vehicles and persons soon.

This comes days after Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga also urged the Centre to suspend troops movement. Officials of the state government also got into a tussle with a team of Assam Rifles personnel, who allegedly refused to comply with the state government's protocol for compulsory screening at the Assam-Mizoram entry gate at Vairengte. Assam Rifles alleged that the Mizoram government violated the SOPs of MHA that allowed unhindered movement of the security forces in view of security needs.