The Manipur government has sought a detailed report from the Assam Rifles on how more than 718 Myanmar nationals, including 301 children, were “allowed to enter India” without “proper travel documents” in just two days between July 22 and 23.
Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said in a communication to the Assam Rifles late on Monday night that “In connection with similar issues in the past, the state government has clearly informed the Assam Rifles, being the border guarding force, to take strict action to prevent the entry of Myanmar nationals into Manipur on any basis without valid visa/travel document, as per the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, India.”
The Assam Rifles had earlier informed the Deputy Commissioner of Chandel district that 718 fresh refugees crossed the Indo-Myanmar border due to ongoing clashes in Khampa and entered Manipur through Chandel district on July 23.
“…the State Government has sought a detailed report from the Assam Rifles authorities to ‘explain the facts and compelling circumstances/reasons, why and how these 718 Myanmar nationals were allowed to enter India in Chandel District without proper travel documents; With strict advice to bring back those 718 illegal Myanmar nationals immediately,” Joshi said.
“District administrators and superintendents or police or Chandel districts have also been advised to implement or supervise the above and keep biometrics and photographs of all such persons,” he added.
Manipur Police has registered an FIR on ‘fake news’
Meanwhile, the Manipur Police on Monday registered an FIR with a “fake news” item in which a video, showing the killing of a woman by armed men in Myanmar, is being described as an incident that happened in the state.
The clip was circulated to incite riots and efforts are on to arrest those spreading fake news, police tweeted.
“FIR registered for spreading fake news: On 24/07/2023, the Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS), Manipur filed a case in connection with the viral video of being assaulted and killed by a mob, including armed men (which took place in Myanmar), which was falsely portrayed as a Manipur case.
On May 4, there was tension after the release of the video
Tensions flared in the hills of Manipur after a video surfaced last week on May 4, showing two women from a warring community in the northeastern state being paraded naked by a crowd from another direction.
Manipur police have so far arrested seven people in this incident.
More than 160 people have lost their lives and several others have been injured since communal violence erupted in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts to protest the Meiti community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
About 53 percent of Manipur’s population are Meitis and most live in the Imphal Valley. The tribes – Nagas and Kukiras – constitute another 40 percent of the population and live in the hill districts.
