Amit Shah To Visit Violence-Hit Manipur, Asks Communities To 'Remove Mistrust'

Shah's visit comes against the backdrop of 40 Kuki militants being killed in a coordinated security operation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a three-day visit to violence-hit Manipur from Monday, 29 May, in light of the ongoing crisis in the state.

"I will go to Manipur soon and stay there for three days but before that, both groups should remove mistrust and suspicion among themselves and ensure that peace is restored in the state," Shah was quoted as saying by PTI. 

At Least 40 Kuki Militants Have Been Killed: CM

The Union home minister's visit comes against the backdrop of reports of at least 40 Kuki militants being killed in a coordinated security operation in the state's Imphal valley over the past four days.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday, 28 May, told reporters that 40 militants had been killed so far and a few had been arrested.

"Mass combing operations along with helicopter operations have started. We are trying to find out culprits, those militants, who are attacking the civilians," he said.

The chief minister added that the latest round of "conflict is not between communities but between Kuki militants and security forces."

Combing Operations Underway

The CM noted that there were instances of militants armed with AK-47s, M-16s, and sniper rifles firing at civilians, and stressed that these are not "Kuki militants," but "terrorists."

On 25 May, the army, Assam Rifles, and the state police began extensive combing operations in Manipur.

Officials have acknowledged that the casualty count may rise as the security operations continue.

The state has been in the throes of ethnic violence after the Manipur High Court on 27 April directed that the Meities, who are the dominant community in the state making up 53 percent of the population, be included in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list.

Protests, particularly by the tribal Kuki community, began earlier this month and have spread across the state, and at least 74 people have been reported dead. Hundreds were injured in clashes, while thousands of people were displaced in just the first three days of the violence.