Centre to deploy 50 additional CAPF units to manage unrest in Manipur

The Centre has decided to send an additional 50 CAPF companies comprising more than 5,000 personnel to Manipur in view of the "challenging" security and law and order situation in the northeastern state, official sources said on Monday.

This comes after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) rushed 20 additional CAPF companies, 15 from the CRPF and five from the BSF, to the state following an order issued on November 12 after violence broke out in Jiribam district and spread to other places.

An additional 50 companies have been ordered to be rushed to Manipur by this week. While 35 units will be drawn from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the rest will be from the Border Security Force (BSF), the sources told PTI.

 

CRPF Director General (CRPF) A D Singh and senior officers from other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are also present in the state.

With last week's deployment, a total of 218 CAPF companies are now present in the state, which has been reeling from ethnic strife since May last year.

A deployment plan is being drawn to base these new 50 units in Manipur as per the violence levels being reported and the dynamic law and order situation in consultation with the state government and the MHA, the sources said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also hold a key meeting to review the security situation in Manipur on Monday and is expected to chalk out a strategy to handle the "volatile" situation in the state.

The situation in Manipur has been volatile following protests and violence after the recovery of bodies of women and children.

On Saturday, the MHA said all security forces deployed in Manipur have been directed to take necessary steps to restore order and peace in the state.

It said armed miscreants from both communities in conflict have been indulging in violence, leading to unfortunate loss of lives and disruption in public order.

The home ministry said strict action would be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities. Seeing the fragile situation, the Centre on Thursday reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur's six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam.

More than 220 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.