Manipur news LIVE updates: Amit Shah says Manipur Governor to head peace committee, high-level CBI probe in 6 incidents

The Union Public Service Commission has offered alternative centres to candidates from Imphal, Manipur to appear for Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer and Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner examination, scheduled to be held on July 2, an official statement issued on Thursday said.

In a major reshuffle in the police leadership in the violence-hit Manipur, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Tripura cadre, Rajiv Singh, has been appointed as the new Director General of Police (DGP) for the northeastern state.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said a judicial probe headed by a retired high court chief justice to inquire into clashes which erupted in the northeastern state of Manipur, will soon be announced.

At a press conference held here on Thursday, he also announced that a peace committee under the Governor of Manipur Anusuiya Uikey which will have representatives of all political parties, besides representatives from both Kuki and Meitei communities and social organisations will be set up.

"Dialogue is the only solution to the ongoing crisis in Manipur," Shah said.

IPS officer Rajiv Singh has been appointed as the new Director General of Police, Manipur. Incumbent DGP P Doungel transferred as OSD (Home), Govt order states.

Violence was a temporary phase, misunderstandings will go away & situation will be normal soon

During the press conference, Amit Shah said that biometrics of people from neighbouring countries is being collected.

Amit Shah said, “I urge citizens of Manipur to not pay heed to fake news. Strict actions will be taken against anyone violating the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. Those carrying weapons must surrender before the police. Combing operations will start from tomorrow and if weapons are found with anyone, strict actions will be taken”

Amit Shah during the press conference added that online education and examination will be held as per plan.

“Education officials will reach the state and we will have discussions to provide uninterrupted education facilities to the students. Online education and examination will be held as per plan,” he said. 

Amit Shah said that several agencies are working in Manipur to investigate violent incidents. 

“High-level CBI probe in 6 incidents of violence that hint at a conspiracy. We will make sure that the investigation is fair,” he said. 

Union Home Minister in his address states, “Manipur Govt will provide ₹5 lakh compensation to the next of kin of deceased victims through DBT. Central Govt to also give ₹5 lakh compensation to next of kin of deceased victims through DBT. Relief measures for victims of violence in Manipur.”

During the press conference in Imphal, Amit Shah said, “In the last 1 month, there have been some violent incidents reported in Manipur. I express my condolences to all families who have lost their loved ones in the violence. I have visited several places in Manipur in the last 3 days including Imphal, Moreh, and Churachandpur and held meetings with officials to establish peace in the state. I have met CSOs of Meitei and Kuki communities."

While addressing a press conference, Amit Shah said that the Centre has constituted a committee to probe into these incidents headed by a retired judge of the High Court. 

Three police personnel were injured in a gunfight with suspected Kuki militants in Manipur's Bishnupur district, officials said on Thursday.

The gunfight took place at Tangjeng under the Kumbi police station on Wednesday night, they said.

The injured police personnel have been admitted to an Imphal hospital, they added.

"Heavy exchange of fire has also been reported from Chanung in Imphal East district. We have not got any casualty report from there yet," a senior official told PTI.

Union health ministry on Wednesday deployed several teams of doctors to support Manipur's public health efforts with immediate effect, which have been adversely impacted due to the ongoing strife in the state, an official statement said.

"Ministry of Health, under the direction of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, has deployed several teams of doctors to Manipur with immediate effect to support Manipur's public health efforts," an official statement said.

As per the statement, six teams of doctors, with four doctors each specialising in surgery, psychiatry, medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, pediatric, urology and emergency care will support the state to provide health facilities, that have been adversely impacted due to the ongoing strife in the State.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a press conference on Thursday in Manipur's Imphal.

On the third day of his visit to Manipur, Amit Shah visited Moreh and Kangpokpi on Wednesday and had wide-ranging discussions with civil society organisations and security forces, directing officials to take "stern and prompt actions to prevent violence and recover looted weapons to bring back normalcy at the earliest".

Earlier in the day, the home minister visited Moreh, located along the border with Myanmar, and held a review meeting there to take stock of the security situation in the state.

"He met the delegation of the hill tribal council, Kuki Students Organisation, Kuki Chiefs Association, Tamil Sangam, Gorkha Samaj and Manipuri Muslim council in Moreh. The delegates expressed strong support for the government's initiatives to restore normalcy in the state," the home ministry said in a statement.

In Kangpokpi, Shah met delegations of civil society organisations such as the Committee on Tribal Unity, Kuki Inpi Manipur, Kuki Student organisation, Thadou Inpi and Prominent personalities and intellectuals, as reported by PTI.

The Home Minister assured that "supply of essential items in hill areas and helicopter services for emergency needs in Churachandpur, Moreh and Kangpokpi will be ensured."

The Kuki community members said more than 115 tribal villages, 4000 houses and 222 churches have been desecrated and burnt, as reported by PTI.

They claimed Kuki houses were burnt even when Home Minister Amit Shah was in the state on May 29-30.

Timothy Chongthu, a representative of the Kuki Students Organisation Delhi, said the government should look at the long standing demand of the tribal communities to have separate administration.

"President's rule should be implemented in Manipur if the state government is unable to control the situation," he said. (PTI)

As the ethnic unrest continues in Manipur, representatives of the Meitei and Kuki communities on Wednesday sought restoration of peace in the state even as differences remained stark, as reported by PTI.

Members from the Kuki-Hmar-Zomi-Mizo tribes held a protest at the Jantar Mantar here demanding that Chief Minister Biren Singh be sacked and President's rule implemented in the state.

A press conference was held by representatives of the Meitei community who demanded the Centre's intervention in restoring peace in the state.

he Union Health Ministry has deployed several teams of doctors to strife-torn Manipur with immediate effect on the direction of Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, PTI reported.

Six teams, with four doctors each specialising in surgery, psychiatry, medicine, obs and gynaecology, paediatric, urology and emergency care, will support the state in providing health facilities that have been adversely impacted due to the ongoing strife, a ministry statement said on Wednesday.

The teams consist of doctors from AIIMS-Kalyani, AIIMS-Guwahati and NEIGRIHMS-Shillong, it said.