20 non-Manipuris killed in 5-year Manipur, steps to protect outsiders taken up: Biren

Imphal: In the last five years (2017 to July 25, 2022), 20 non-Manipuris were killed in the state, steps have been taken up by Manipur government to curb attacks on non-Manipuris, chief minister N. Biren Singh said on Wednesday, the third day of the Second Session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

To stop such incidents, the chief minister and the leader of the House informed the House that various preventive measures have been taken up by the state government. Regarding this, 14 FIR cases have been registered and investigation is going on; one accused was arrested and remanded into Judicial custody.

The chief minister informed that the state police have been given instruction to always remain alert to curb incidents of attacks on non-Manipuris by way of collection of intelligence, regular frisking and checking, identification of suspected persons and regular checking of the places where the non-Manipuris reside; deployment of police personnel round the clock in the worksites where non-Manipuris are working in the districts has been done; dedicated deployment in localities where there is sizeable non-Manipuri populations; surprise search and verification drives are done in random places from time to time based on inputs as well as on suspicion; and frequent patrolling in and around vulnerable pockets where the non-locals are residing.

Interaction with non-local by officers is done at regular intervals. Local landlords and employers have been asked to be careful about potential threats and to extend cooperation to non-locals so that non-locals do not have to move out. Beat System is being implemented and concerned beat personnel are monitoring round the clock at the vulnerable areas of non-Manipuris residing in the districts, he added.

MLA K. Ranjit Singh moved a calling attention motion on the reported Night Shelter Home being rented out by a private individual. On this, labour minister Heikham Dingo said the matter is currently under Judicial process.

While giving clarification on the calling attention motion by MLA Kh. Joykisan Singh on the reported scarcity of water for agricultural purposes in Imphal East, agriculture minister Th. Biswajit informed the House that under the supervision of the Leader of the House, District Level Committee with all the line departments have already been constituted to look into the matter.

Biren, who is also in-charge of Home, laid “The Manipur Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Rules, 2021”.