Cops on duty at Moreh, CM asserts
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 20 2023:
Chief Minister N Biren has categorically stated that there is no question of not assigning duties to police personnel stationed at the border town of Moreh.
Responding to queries raised by journalists at the Raj Bhavan here today, N Biren said he contacted police officers posted at Moreh as soon as he came across media reports that police personnel deployed at Moreh have been barred from entering the border town, and it was learnt that there is no restriction on the movement of police personnel deployed at Moreh.
The Chief Minister came to Raj Bhavan to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Siddharth Mridul as the new Chief Justice of Manipur High Court.
5th Manipur Rifles CO Heisnam Balaram and Special Manipur Police Commando SP Krishnatombi are currently stationed at Moreh.
Over 100 commando personnel, 100 district police personnel and 70 Manipur Rifles personnel including IRB men are deployed at the border town, Biren told media.
Taking into account the recent ambush on a team of security forces by armed militants near Lokchao, around 21 police personnel who were sent to Moreh a few days back halted a night in the Assam Rifles camp enroute to the border town from security point of view, the Chief Minister said.
There is no question of the State Government not assigning duties to police personnel stationed at Moreh, he said.
Biren asserted that it was Manipur Police who faced all law breakers in the first place.
So far, eight police personnel have laid down their lives fighting against those forces determined to break up Manipur, he added.
Claiming that the police commandos tackled quite efficiently when some people attempted to destroy/damage a market shed at Moreh some days back, Biren appealed to the media fraternity to publish news items in positive manner as far as possible.
Recently some sections of media published reports of fresh gun battles at Naranseina but on being enquired, it turned out that there were no gun battle, he continued.
Media houses should report the facts and events of the Manipur crisis but they should refrain from publishing unverified news which may create unnecessary tensions to different sections of the society, the Chief Minister said.
Bursting of a cracker should not be reported as firing, he said.
Claiming that peace is returning in Manipur, the Chief Minister appealed to everyone to work towards restoring normalcy and peaceful co-existence.
Any demand which goes against the interest of the State and the Nation would not be entertained.
If such demands must be considered, it will be done within the Constitution, Biren said.
He informed that the Government has been working to reinstate the allowance given to police commandos which was cancelled sometime back.