Shah holds meetings in violence-hit Manipur, likely to visit Churachandpur

Union home minister Amit Shah was likely to visit Churachandpur in Manipur days after ethnic violence broke out there before spreading to other parts of the state and left 80 people dead and tens of thousands displaced, an official said.

Shah arrived in Manipur late on Monday to defuse ethnic tensions amid sporadic incidents of violence. His first meeting with chief minister N Biren Singh and other top officials lasted until 10.45pm.

Officials aware of the matter said that confidence measures were discussed at the meeting for the restoration of normalcy. The measures included relief, compensation of ₹10 lakh each for those killed in the violence, etc.

Shah held two meetings on Tuesday. “...the Union home minister is likely to head for Churachandpur,” the official cited above said, requesting anonymity.

Tensions have continued to simmer in parts of the northeastern state since the Manipur high court on April 27 directed that the Meities, Manipur’s dominant community accounting for 53% of its population, be included on the Scheduled Tribes list.

Mostly tribal Kukis took to the streets against the directions beginning May 3. The army has been deployed in the region since May 4. Thousands of security personnel have been patrolling the streets of major cities and remote villages. Curfew has been clamped in swathes of the state and the internet has been suspended for over three weeks now.

Shah arrived in the state a day after fresh clashes rocked the state and left five dead. The violence flared up in the past week. On Sunday, N Biren Singh said at least 40 Kuki militants have been over four days.

Shah’s visit is the Union government’s highest-level intervention since the violence broke out. Army chief General Manoj Pande earlier on Saturday arrived in the state.