Senior Army Officials Confer with Manipur Governor on Security Matters
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Synopsis
Three senior Army officers met with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to discuss the current law and order situation in the state. They focused on security challenges in Manipur and the northeastern region, and the need for arms recovery from illegal sources.
Key Takeaways
- Meeting between Army officials and Manipur Governor.
- Discussion on law and order in Manipur and northeastern states.
- Focus on recovery of looted arms.
- Need for peace talks between tribal communities.
- Ongoing efforts against illegal timber smuggling.
Imphal, April 18 (NationPress) Three senior Army officials on Friday convened a meeting with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to assess the current law and order scenario in the state and the broader northeastern region, as reported by an official source.
Present at the meeting were General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Eastern Command, Lt. Gen. Ram Chander Tiwari, alongside GOC Spear Corps, Lt. Gen. Abhijit S. Pendharkar, and Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South), Maj. Gen. Ravroop Singh, who gathered at Raj Bhavan in Imphal.
According to the official, the Army officials provided the Governor with updates regarding the existing security conditions in Manipur and other northeastern states.
In a related development, seven BJP MLAs approached the Governor, urging for intensified recovery efforts of looted and illegally held firearms, particularly in the hilly regions of the state.
BJP representative Kh Ibomcha, part of the MLA delegation, stated they also called on the Governor to facilitate peace discussions between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal groups.
The MLAs appealed to Bhalla for stringent measures against individuals partaking in inflammatory actions and making derogatory remarks towards various communities, as conveyed to the media.
Furthermore, the BJP MLAs commended the Governor's plea to the local populace to voluntarily surrender any looted and illegally held arms and ammunition.
While there has been a favorable response to the arms surrender initiative, numerous weapons and ammunition remain in the possession of individuals in the hilly areas, although many in the valley regions have returned them to the security forces.
As of March 6, approximately 1,000 looted and illegally held firearms, which include several sophisticated weapons along with a significant stockpile of ammunition, have been returned to the security forces since Governor Bhalla first issued the appeal on February 20.
In another operation, the Assam Rifles intervened in the Kampang Khullen area of Tengnoupal district, seizing 23 trucks that were illegally transporting timber without the necessary transit permits.
A Defence representative stated that this operation was aimed at combating the illegal smuggling of forest products, which serves as a primary funding source for Valley Based Insurgent Groups (VBIGs).
Drivers were detained for lacking valid documentation, and the trucks along with their timber cargo were confiscated.
The Forest Department was notified and subsequently performed a field verification. Following written communication from the District Forest Office, the trucks were released on Thursday.
According to forest authorities, the seized timber was appraised to be worth approximately Rs 14.28 lakh. The Assam Rifles remains dedicated to countering illegal activities and protecting the region’s natural resources, as stated in a Defence announcement.
