Manipur CM Khemchand reviews law and order amid escalating violence in state

IMPHAL, Sep 17: Close on the heels of the recent spate of violence across the restive state, Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, on Thursday, reviewed the security and law and order situation in the state during a security coordination meeting held in Imphal.
The meeting was held at the cabinet hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Imphal and attended by state home minister Govindas and top officials of the state police and Central security agencies deployed in the state.
chief minister Y Khemchand Singh, in a post of his social media handles after the meeting, said, “The meeting discussed stringent measures to be taken to maintain law and order in the state,”
The meeting also deliberated on ways to identify new vulnerable areas and the deployment of security personnel, if required, in the larger interest of the people, he added in the post.
An official source said that the meeting also deliberated on strategies for deployment of security in new vulnerable areas.
The security review meeting came in the backdrop of recent series of violence involving fatality and arson of houses at villages in the remote hill areas of the state.
It may be noted that at least six lives – including four women – have been lost in less than a week amid violent clashes in Naga-dominated hill districts of Tamenglong and Noney as violence involving fatality and arson escalated in the hill region of the troubled state.
Several houses were also reduced to ashes in the remote areas of Noney, Tamenglong and Kangpokpi districts, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing Naga-Kuki renewed conflict.
There was also a rise in the militant-related activities in the valley with bomb blasts targeting houses in recent times amid the ongoing operations to recover illegal arms and ammunition while dealing with the rampant extortion activities.
With the working season just approaching, the authorities of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and the contractors have geared up to intensify their work in the next six months, the government hopes to see considerable improvement in the infrastructure development, the CMO said, in a statement.
Keeping this in mind, the chief minister, during the meeting, stressed that the government will provide all necessary security support to speed up the work, if required.
The security agencies have been instructed to see that the ongoing infrastructure development works are not hindered and adequate security are provided, it added.
Besides home minister Govindas Konthoujam and security advisor to Manipur government Kuldiep Singh, state chief secretary Rajeev Singh Thakur, the meeting was attended by state DGP Mukesh Singh, commissioner (home) N Ashok Kumar, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South), Major General Gaurav Sharma, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (East), Major General Inderjit Singh Bhinder, Inspector General of CRPF Homkar Amol Vinukant and others officials of different security agencies.