Amit Shah keeping close eye on Manipur situation, taking regular inputs

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is closely monitoring the situation in Manipur and is in constant touch with top functionaries of the state and central governments, sources said on Friday.

Shah, who is staying put in the national capital, is also taking regular inputs from security and intelligence agencies about the Manipur situation, which remained peaceful but tense on Friday.

The home minister is closely monitoring the Manipur situation and taking updates regularly from top functionaries of the state and central governments, sources said.

On Thursday, Shah held two video conferences attended by the Manipur chief minister, the state's chief secretary, the police chief, the Union home secretary and other top officials of the central government.

He also held telephonic conversations with chief ministers Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland, Zoramthanga of Mizoram and Himanta Biswa Sarma of Assam in view of the situation in Manipur on Thursday.

Meanwhile, at least five Deputy Inspector General (DIG) rank officers and seven senior superintendents of police (SSP) and SP-rank officers of the CRPF have been tasked with coordinating the deployment of various security forces in violence-hit Manipur, sources said.

The Centre has also rushed in about 20 fresh companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), including the CRPF and the BSF to the trouble-torn state. Induction of the CAPF units apart from that of the Army columns and the Assam Rifles is going on.

Some of these senior officers are being rushed in from Delhi and Ranchi, a source said.

Clashes broke out in Manipur on Wednesday and intensified overnight with counter-attacks being mounted by rival communities in retaliation to earlier attacks after Naga and Kuki tribals organised a 'Tribal Solidarity March' to protest moves to give scheduled tribe status to the Metei community.

The state government on Thursday issued a shoot-at-sight order in "extreme cases" to contain the spiralling violence which has displaced over 9,000 people from their villages.