Security teams now deployed at foothills
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 05 2024: The Government has started deploying combined teams of Central and State security forces along the sensitive foothill areas and measures are underway to restore normalcy, said Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

The Chief Minister made the statement during a short duration discussion raised by Congress MLAs K Ranjit and Th Lokeshwar on frequent attacks by armed Kuki miscreants at the foothill areas under Sugnu and Khundrakpam Constituencies today, the last day of the fifth session of 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

N Biren, who is in-charge of Home, continued that the State Government has been taking up different measures to stop the violence in Manipur which broke out following the attack on Meetei villages.

Saying that the Government acknowledges the initiative taken up by Congress MLA K Ranjit to keep the people of Sugnu and Serou areas safe amid the violence, the Chief Minister continued that the Government also extended assistance to the MLA from time to time.

The Government and the members of the House are working together to work out a solution to the protracted crisis, the Chief Minister maintained.

He said there was a shortage of security personnel in the State in the initial days of the violence as security measures had to be taken up in both hill and valley districts.

Deployment of Central forces at foothill areas was opposed by the people, N Biren informed the House and added that even the movement of security personnel was difficult in the first two months of the violence due to road blocks at multiple areas.

The Chief Minister further stated that the security forces went through different obstacles while rescuing displaced folks from Serou.

There were roadblocks at multiple areas to prevent transportation of both Meeteis and Kukis to safe places, the Leader of the House informed.

Saying that the Government nonetheless has deployed additional teams of Central forces at foothill areas to stop the violence, N Biren continued that the Government has also been identifying places which require deployment of more security forces.

The Government monitors the security situation in the State on a daily basis, N Biren said.

Continuing that the Government welcomes all the suggestions given on the floor of the House to break the cycle of violence, the Chief Minister added that the Government has also formed committees at different levels to restore normalcy in the State.

He said that the Government will provide compensation to the elders who died due to hypertension during the recent heavy attacks at Sugnu on humanitarian ground through the Deputy Commissioner of Kakching though the amount may be lesser than the compensation given under a Government scheme.

Saying that 40 IRB personnel, three companies of BSF (another three BSF companies at Sugnu) and six combined teams of IRB and commandos have been deployed at Serou, the Chief Minister continued that the Government is working to send another 200 security personnel to Serou areas.

Over 100 more security personnel will be sent to Serou in the first phase of reinforcement, he added.

Assuring that the Government will provide all possible assistance to people affected by violence including those who sustained injuries to start their resettlement under livelihood mission, N Biren said that the Government will give opportunity to the victims of the violence while recruiting VDF personnel and others.

K Ranjit, while lauding the conduct of the short duration discussion, said that 10 persons died in the course of violence at Sugnu and Serou areas which went on from May 28 to June 3, 2023 while another five bedridden elders died due to hypertension in the recent attack by Kuki militants at Sugnu from February 14 to February 20, 2024 .

K Ranjit conveyed his condolence to all the bereaved families.

Recounting that a peace committee was formed after holding discussion among Meetei, Kuki and Naga representatives of Sugnu and Serou areas during a meeting held at the office of Sugnu SDPO office on May 4, 2023 to prevent the violence in their respective villages, K Ranjit said that the peace committee was instrumental in keeping Sugnu and Serou areas unaffected by the violence till May 27, 2023 .

He went on to state that 99 Meitei labourers were rescued from an interior village of Churachandpur with the help of the peace committee.

Saying that the 99 Meitei labourers were brought up to Lailoiphai village after passing through 17 Kuki villages by Kuki elders and youths on May 9 last and handed them over to him, he added that about another 100 Meiteis were also rescued from New Somtal and other Kuki villages with the help of the peace committee.

K Ranjit then said that the Chief Minister and some others accusing him of being communal and depicting the peace committee as the factor behind the attack by armed Kuki miscreants on the midnight of May 27 at Sugnu, Serou and Napat was unfortunate.

Stating that he had requested the State Government to deploy adequate security personnel at Serou and Sugnu areas multiple times before the attack of May 27 midnight, the Congress MLA added that the Government, unfortunately, didn't send the requested personnel.

The attacks at Sugnu and Serou could have been averted had the Government taken up adequate security measures, he said.

Urging the State Government to send about 200 security personnel at Sugnu and Serou in addition to the already deployed personnel to begin the rehabilitation process of the displaced people, K Ranjit said that many residents of Sugnu and Serou won't return to their native places unless adequate security measures are taken up.

Th Lokeshwar, during the short duration discussion, drew the attention of the House to deploy ample security forces at foothills areas and begin the rehabilitation of the displaced people and ensure protection of volunteers guarding villages and at the forefront to safeguard Manipur even after the violence ends.

He recounted that 11 Meiteis were killed in the incident of Khamenlok under his Constituency.

Eight persons from Khundrakpam AC have also been killed in the course of the violence, Lokeshwar added.

It is only at the foothill areas of 10 ACs where cases of gun attacks have been reported, he said and added that the violence can be arrested if adequate security measures are taken up at Khundrakpam, Sugnu, Moirang, Kumbi, Sekmai, Bishnupur, Andro, Oinam, Lamlai etc.

The Congress MLA sought a collective effort from the members of the House to end the violence.

Stating that it would be wrong to assume every Assam Rifles units of taking sides in the course of Manipur violence, Th Lokeshwar said that instances of gun attacks stopped at Khundrakpam after the deployment of 18 Assam Rifles personnel in the sensitive areas of the Constituency.

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