Manipur: Nearly 95,000 personnel of central, state forces deployed to counter militants
Imphal: Around 60,000 central forces in coordination with nearly 35,000 state forces, including Manipur Police and India Reserve Battalion (IRB) are being pressed into service to contain insurgents’ problem and restoring peace in ethnic violence-hit Manipur.
In order to counter the miscreants, two battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), posted in Jammu, have been replaced by an equal number of Assam Rifles battalions deployed in Manipur.
The Assam Rifles battalions - 9AR and 22AR - left the restive state for Jammu on Friday with the CRPF battalions being deployed at strategic locations of Manipur, officials said on Saturday.
At least 533 individuals, including three miscreants who allegedly attacked Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s convoy along the National Highway-37 earlier this year, have been arrested between May 3, 2023 - the day ethnic clashes erupted in the state – and September 20, 2024, the officials added.
On the other hand, as many as 468 bunkers - set up illegally by the warring groups - have been destroyed during this period.
During search operations conducted by the security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of both the hill and valley districts of the state, a total of 2,681 weapons have been seized.
An unfired rocket and three fired rockets used by suspected Kuki militants are among the seized weapons.
With the deployment of anti-drone systems, 15-17 drones have been jammed, sources said.
