Manipur students clash in Delhi University area, police say situation under control

NEW DELHI: Even with tension reportedly deescalating in Manipur, violence reached Delhi with a group of Kuki students residing in Delhi University North Campus area alleging that they were attacked by a group of Meiteis on Thursday night.

The following day, on Friday, the students claimed they tried to register an FIR at the Maurice Nagar police station and when the police refused to file the complaint, the students staged a protest outside the police station. Police said that the situation is now under control and action has been initiated and a few students have been detained in this connection.

The incident follows the violence that gripped the state in the immediate aftermath of inter-community clashes which erupted in a few districts of the northeastern state amid protests against the inclusion of the majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

The Manipur Government had requisitioned Army and Assam Rifles on May 3 and 4. The state’s Director General of Police P Doungel has said that the situation the State has improved after the intervention of security forces. Forces including RAF, BSF, CRPF have been deployed in Manipur, he said and that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) chief Kuldiep Singh, has been appointed as the security advisor.

The state government has also appointed Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence), Ashutosh Sinha, as the overall operational commander to control the situation in Manipur, the State DGP said.

“As a result of the proactive and timely response, Churachandpur, KPI, Moreh and Kakching are now under firm control with no major violence since last night”, the Indian Army had said in a statement on May 5 evening.

The Army said that situation in Manipur has been brought under control through coordinated actions by all stakeholders. “The situation has been brought under control through coordinated actions by all stakeholders. The IAF undertook continuous sorties from two airfields in Assam employing C17 Globemaster and AN 32 aircraft”, the Indian Army had stated.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reviewed the situation in Manipur through a video conference meeting with state Chief Minister N Biren Singh and top officials in the state as well as the Centre.

A total of 10 more companies (nearly 1,000 personnel) of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were also dispatched to the violence-hit state earlier in the day on Friday following orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). (ANI)