Police brace for influx from Assam to Manipur

Manipur Police have tightened security to check the possible influx of migrants after a draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) published in neighbouring Assam has sparked fears that many may be declared non-Indians.

Director General of Police L.M. Khaute has supervised security measures along the Assam-Manipur border on the state's eastern side to check entry of outsiders whose names are not on the NRC.

On Monday, the Assam government published the draft which includes names of 1.9 crore people of of the total 3.29 crore applicants. The process of updating the NRC began in 2013 and it was carried out under the guidance and instructions of the Supreme court.

As many as 68.27 lakh families comprising of 3.29 crore applicants had submitted 6.5 crore documents in support of their citizenship claims.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said: "Additional police and paramilitary personnel have been rushed to Jiribam district to ensure that undesirable persons do not enter (our state)."

Police in Jiribam have demolished six bamboo bridges across Jiri river, a detour route migrants use to avoid security checks.

Security personnel were also deployed at the Mao gate as many migrants might enter Manipur from the National Highway-2 that links Manipur, Nagaland and Assam, the police said.

Police are also being deployed along the Assam-Tamenglong highway and Jessami in Ukhrul district.

Authorities had conducted security checks in Jiribam district where some people without identity cards were detained. Some were found to be using fake voter IDs.

--IANS

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