Manipur Relocates Assam Rifles From Checkpoint At Moirang Lamkhai Under Pressure

Amid mounting pressure, the authorities in Manipur have decided to relocate the Assam Rifles from a critical checkpoint at Moirang Lamkhai in the Bishnupur district. This decision came after numerous women activists took to the streets at various locations, alleging the central paramilitary force’s use of excessive force against civilians in the valley districts.

The Additional Director General of Police (law and order) issued an order stating that the police and CRPF units would promptly replace the 9 Assam Rifles at the Bishnupur-Kangvai Road checkpoint. The Assam Rifles had been facing calls for their withdrawal from various quarters, including the Meira Paibis group and certain BJP legislators.

Groups of women, identified as the “women torchbearers” or Meira Paibis, dressed in traditional red attire, staged road blocks at multiple locations, including Tiddim Road leading to Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts—areas where violent incidents had erupted over the weekend, resulting in six deaths and 16 injuries.

Efforts by a group of women to march to the Assam Rifles post at Singjamei in Imphal were halted by the police. Demonstrations also unfolded in various parts of Imphal West and East districts, as well as in segments of Thoubal and Bishnupur districts. The backlash against the Assam Rifles grew stronger with the emergence of a video showing a confrontation between police personnel and members of the paramilitary force regarding their operational methods.

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Assam Rifles officials countered allegations of misconduct, asserting that their primary goal was to restore order in a state plagued by ethnic conflicts since May 3. A curfew imposed in Imphal East and West districts was eased from 5 am to noon to allow residents to procure essential supplies.

In New Delhi, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), representing Meitei civil society, submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The memorandum urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to safeguard Manipur’s territorial integrity and initiate a National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise to identify illegal immigrants. COCOMI emphasized that the ongoing conflict was not based on religious or tribal factors. The memorandum also touched on resolutions adopted during COCOMI’s rally on July 29, including ending the present conflict and countering Chin-Kuki narco-terrorism.

COCOMI’s move comes ahead of a scheduled meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and a four-member delegation from the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) on Tuesday.

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