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The situation in Manipur is tense, but the Indian Army and paramilitary forces are kept under the control of the Indian Army, who are working together to restore peace. Since Saturday morning, they have conducted air reconnaissance operations in various regions to monitor the situation. Ongoing ethnic violence in the northeastern state has left 54 people dead, according to officials. However, unofficial sources indicate that the actual number may be much higher, with several dozen killed and more than 150 wounded.
Defense sources told CNN-News18 that the current crisis in Manipur could lead to a new security dimension as insurgent groups stationed in the Manipur Valley and staying in camps across the India-Myanmar border could be detrimental to the ongoing efforts to restore normal life in Manipur.
Drones, army helicopters do air surveillance
Sources said that the security forces are dealing with this issue proactively and are sparing no effort to thwart any possible attempts of violence.
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On the ground, the Assam Rifles are consolidating their deployment status and maintaining round-the-clock vigil and border control. New impetus is being given to their efforts by the allocation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and army helicopters for air surveillance in Manipur.
The Army has already conducted multiple rounds of aerial reconnaissance using Cheetah helicopters since the morning in Manipur. Through these efforts, the Army and Assam Rifles hope to quell the current unrest in Manipur as soon as possible.
Aerial surveillance will enable the forces to monitor the activities of people deep in the forest and border areas. It will also help determine if people are entering from across the border. Manipur is currently in a delicate and sensitive situation, which makes such air monitoring a need every hour.
The riots broke out Wednesday night after demonstrations organized by tribes, including Kokes and Nagas, against a proposal to grant the Mitte community, which accounts for 53% of the population and lives mostly in the Imphal Valley, scheduled tribe status. The tribes, which account for 40% of the population and include the Nagas and Kukis, live mostly in the surrounding hill regions.
Several villages were reported to have been burned. The survivors of these incidents are currently residing in various refugee camps.
To counter the unrest, nearly 10,000 army, paramilitary and central police forces have been deployed to the state.
Fatalities and combat activities
Officials reported that of the 54 deaths officially announced, 16 are kept at the Churachandpur District Hospital morgue, 15 are at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal East district, and 23 are reported at the Provincial Institute of Medicine. Science in Lamphill, Imphal West district.
In addition, five militants stationed in the hills were killed and two Indian reserve battalion were injured in two separate encounters in Churachandpur district on Friday night. One encounter took place in Saiton in Churachandpur district, killing four militants, while militants opened fire on security forces in Torpong, killing one militant and wounding two IRB jaws.
Manipur Security Adviser Kuldeep Singh said the army and other security forces were actively working to address the persistent problems. “Executive magistrates and senior officers from the police, paramilitaries and Assam rifles are making efforts to reach the remote areas,” he said, adding that 84 weapons have been handed over so far and 10 people have been arrested earlier in the day.
Union Minister Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said the government has already distributed five helplines. “The military has notified that if any tourists or students are stuck there, they should call the helpline numbers so they can be escorted to their respective destinations.”
Regarding the ongoing protests by the Meitei community in Jantar Mantar, Delhi, the union minister said that many lives and properties have been lost and appealed to all to maintain harmony, not to believe in any propaganda and not to send any false information on social media. “The situation at the moment is better than it was in the past two or three days, and things will return to normal soon,” he said.
(with inputs from PTI and ANI)
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