Centre to send over 10,000 additional soldiers to violence-hit Manipur amid fresh violence

With the addition of 90 companies, or approximately 10,800 central forces personnel, Manipur will be covered by a heavy security blanket, Security Adviser Kuldiep Singh told reporters in the state capital Imphal adding that 258 people have died in the violence since May 2023.

"We are getting 90 companies of forces. A sizable portion has already reached Imphal. We have been distributing the forces to protect lives and properties of civilians and monitor vulnerable areas and points," Singh said.

"All areas will be covered in a few days. We have made foolproof arrangements. New coordination cells and joint control rooms will be set up in every district. We have reviewed those that are already functioning," he said.

The security forces have so far recovered approximately 3,000 weapons looted from police armouries since clashes began between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes in May 2023, Singh said.

All the forces including the police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), army, Assam Rifles, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Sashastra Seema Bal have come together to work in the violence-hoit Manipur.

"We are all together in tackling the Manipur issue. Whatever problem comes up, we deal with them together. Operations are already going on," Singh said.

The violence escalated after suspected militants allegedly killed a woman from the Hmar tribe, who is a mother of three children in Jiribam's Zairawn village on November 7. In retaliation, two dozen Kuki militants attacked Jiribam's Borobekra on November 11.

Meanwhile, 10 Kuki militants were killed in an encounter with the CRPF and the rest took six members of a Meitei family hostage and escaped.

Two more Meiteis, both senior citizens, were killed by the Kuki militants before the encounter with the CRPF began.

The bodies of the six hostages including an infant were found in a river.