How is the Manipur government tackling illegal infiltration?

Imphal, July 23 (NationPress) Amid growing concerns about the influx of illegal migrants into Manipur, particularly due to the volatile situations in neighboring nations, the Manipur government has directed all 16 district authorities to maintain the highest level of vigilance along the state's international and inter-state borders, officials reported.

Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar instructed the district authorities to establish district-level task forces aimed at identifying illegal infiltrators and implementing appropriate measures.

Kumar recommended that these task forces be led by the Additional Superintendent of Police in each district. The forces should also include representatives from the Deputy Commissioner’s office, as well as personnel from the Assam Rifles, BSF, or CRPF, depending on the preferences of the task force leader, along with a biometric staff.

In his directive, the Commissioner (Home) emphasized that all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police should maintain robust mechanisms to prevent illegal crossings into state boundaries and ensure heightened vigilance at international, inter-state, and inter-district borders to avert such movements.

Any detected illegal movement must be reported immediately, and the biometric details of such individuals should be collected compulsorily, the order specified. It also stated that these illegal migrants should be accommodated in secure designated locations, providing them with shelter and humanitarian aid without allowing them to integrate or be naturalized among local populations.

All illegal migrants will be deported following the necessary procedures, according to the order.

Kumar urged all Deputy Commissioners to form a district-level committee comprising members from the District Police to conduct checks at all suspected locations and to regularly review operations.

“Deputy Commissioners should routinely monitor the entry and exit points under the Border Pass System. Tracing of violators and overstayed cases shall be managed by the District Police,” the Commissioner (Home) stated.

Manipur shares approximately 400 km of unfenced international border with Myanmar in the southeast, while it is bordered by Nagaland to the north, Assam to the west, and Mizoram to the south.

An official noted that while Manipur does not share a border with Bangladesh, the neighboring states of Assam and Mizoram have porous borders with it, raising concerns about potential infiltration into Manipur.