Over 70 illegal immigrants nabbed in Manipur

The Manipur Police on Thursday said it nabbed over 70 undocumented persons suspected to be illegal immigrants. The arrests came a few hours after a stern warning by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh over illegal migrants entering the state after passing through various police booths.

The arrested persons also include three minor Rohingya girls who were staying in a destitute home in Imphal.

On Wednesday, Singh who is facing the impact of the sustained campaign by Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) instructed police to step up the process of rounding up immigrants and undocumented persons while trying to sneak into Manipur.

"In case some suspicious persons are rounded up the police officers of the stations they had crossed undetected will be made accountable," the Chief Minister said.

Over 60 undocumented persons were detected on Thursday at Mao, the first police station bordering Nagaland.

"They had been asked to return to wherever they came from," said a police officer.

Police at Jiri, the headquarters of Jiribam district bordering Assam also nabbed six persons of suspicious nationalities.

"They had been pushed back," indications are that they may be Rohingyas.

Meanwhile three Rohingya girls were chased out of a destitute home in Imphal east district. Local women came to know of the presence of these girls and agitated demanding their removal.

An official said that police had arrested the girls earlier but being minor girls they were left in the destitute home before their case was settled. However, the women activists said that their presence in the locality was not welcome.

The Chief Minister had expressed his surprise at the presence of 10 Ronhingas in rented rooms at Hatta in the heart of the Imphal city.

--IANS

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