Army, Assam Rifles held over 400 meetings with civil society groups in Manipur to bring normalcy  

Army, Assam Rifles hold 400 plus security meets in Manipur to restore normalcy. They say over 250 interactions have been made with IDPs, 500 have return to homes

The Army and the Assam Rifles conducted over 400 security meetings with civil society organisations, village chiefs and shopkeepers in the past two months to bring normalcy in violence-hit Manipur, an official said.

Over 250 interactions have been held with the internally displaced persons across the State, in both hill and valley districts with resolution of grievances by constant liaison with civil administration, and distribution of essential items.

The official claimed that around 500 people who were living in relief camps have returned to their homes in Phougakchao Ikhai in Bishnupur district, a Meitei populated area.

On October 16, the Army tweeted that it, along with the police and “locals who have recently returned from relief camps to Phougakchao Ikhai, planted 1,000 saplings to conserve nature with the hope and prayer for early return of peace.”

The official added that over 400 medical camps across the State were also organised .

“The security forces are engaging with the youth by organising various sports tournaments, conveying important messages such as abstaining from violence and drugs,” said the official.

Since May 3, at least 175 have been killed in the ethnic violence that erupted between the tribal Kuki-Zo and Meitei people in the State. Around 5,600 weapons and ammunition were looted from police armouries since the start of the violence, out of which around 1,400 weapons have been recovered so far. The security forces are conducting regular combing operations to recover the weapons, the official said. In the past 10 days, 72 weapons including AK-47 rifles, mortars, hand grenades have been seized during search operations in Kakching, Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Kangpokpi districts.