Manipur: New police station, outposts to tackle ethnic violence

Imphal: To contain ongoing ethnic violence, the Government of India has given a green signal to strengthen police forces in Manipur.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh took a cabinet decision to open a police station and two police outposts, sources close to the Chief Minister told this correspondent.

The cabinet in its meeting held at the CM's secretariate has adopted to open a police station at Joujangtek village located at the tri-junction of Sadar Hills (Kangpokpi), Churachandpur (Sonpi) and Tamenglong/Noney districts.

The cabinet also agreed to open two police outposts at Nungsai village, Khoupum Tehsil in Tamenglong district, and at Singda Dam, about 19 km from Imphal in Imphal West district.

Existing 42,000 state police forces in 44 police stations across the state, one police station and an equal number of police outposts are to be opened in the hill districts and one in the valley district (Imphal west) adjoining Kangpokpi district. 

When princely nation Manipur merged with India in 1949, it had five police stations and seven outposts.

At present, there are over 60,000 central security forces including Assam Rifles, CRPF, ITBP, and Indian Army to assist the civil administration in the ongoing ethnic violence in this border state.

The ethnic violence that started on May 3, 2023, cost the lives of over 230 individuals to date.