Shah to review Manipur situation today

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday will review the law and order in Manipur, the first such meeting after the President's rule was imposed in the troubled state on February 13.

Shah will review the security scenario in the state with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and paramilitary officials as well as state officials and police personnel.

The President's rule was imposed on February 13 after N Biren Singh had resigned as the chief minister. The state Assembly, whose tenure is till 2027, had been put under suspended animation.

The security review meeting by Shah will come just a day after Bhalla extended the week-long deadline imposed by him for various groups to surrender illegally procured arms, by another week till March 6.

The original deadline had ended on February 27, during which only 300 weapons and 246 firearms were surrendered by various groups and people, a figure which is not even a fraction of 6,000 weapons and six lakh pieces of ammunition which had been looted from state armoury by militant groups soon after ethnic violence had erupted in Manipur in May 2023.

The deadline has been extended owing to the poor response to the Governor's appeal, though a statement issued by Raj Bhavan in Imphal said the decision was taken following demands by people from both hill and valley areas for additional time.

Meanwhile on Friday, suspected militants launched a gun attack at Kongba Maru Laipham temple in Imphal East, just a day after Meitei group Arambai Tenggol surrendered 246 weapons following the Governor's appeal to relinquish illegal arms.

According to sources, militants fired multiple rounds from a hilltop position at approximately 9.30 am, targeting devotees and a priest conducting traditional rituals at the temple. Despite the gunfire, the religious ceremony continued under security protection provided by state police and CRPF personnel.

On Thursday, the armed Meitei militia group, Arambai Tenggol, which has been accused of fomenting violence against the Kukis since ethnic violence began in Manipur two years ago, had surrendered a cache of arms, a move which was described by Kuki organisations as a "mere gesture".