Imphal, January 04 2008: "Good morning sir, since last night till 8 am today, three UG suspects have been killed in encounter with Bishnupur police commandos, two shot dead in Imphal West, another two killed in Thoubal, combined force shot dead two UG suspects in Imphal East, one bomb placed at the residence of an engineer, shots fired at the residence of an MLA etc, etc but situation is normal".

This is the typical daily morning reports of police officers to their superior officers and top-ranking Home Department officials. Such are the reports being given to top-ranking Home Department officials including the Governor, Chief Minister and police officers about the crime and law and order situation of the State on a daily basis.

In almost all the daily reports furnished by police about the violence and crimes occurring in the State without any respite, it is unfailingly mentioned "situation is normal" even though many UGs and others have been shot dead ny UGs and in encounters with security forces and there were seizure of arms and ammunition.

The moot question here is, should we consider the killings and violence which have become the order of the day as normal ? .

This is in contrast to the public confession of Government leaders including the Chief Minister who often harped on the volatile law and order situation of the State.

The reality is that the State has become so insecure that most of the people rush to the safety of their homes once dusk falls.

Imphal also goes to "sleep along with the Sun everyday" .

The report that "situation is normal" calls for a serious re-assessment and retrospection in the backdrop of bomb attacks at the high security zone of the Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister's complex in addition to too frequent incidents of placing bombs and launching firing/bomb attacks at the residences of Government officials and MLAs.

On the other hand, 123 civilians were among 500 people killed in different incidents of violence last year.

This included 285 UG cadres shot dead by security forces.

Incidentally Chief Minister O Ibobi is leaving for Delhi tomorrow to attend a meeting of all Chief Ministers.

The meeting has been convened by the Prime Minister to study internal security in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attack and the serial bomb blasts in Assam recently.

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