Manipur violence: Amit Shah to hold high-level meeting to control the 'volatile' situation in Manipur

People stage a protest after bodies of six people from the Meitei community were found, days after they were taken hostage by suspected Kuki insurgents in Manipur, at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi. (Pic/PTI)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to hold a key meeting on Monday to review the security in Manipur and is expected to come up with a strategy to control the "volatile" situation in the northeastern state, reported news agency PTI.

Officials such as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka are expected to attend the meeting.

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The Union Home Minister also reviewed the security situation in Manipur after cancelling three campaigns for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled for November 20 with vote counting on November 23.

Manipur, where ethnic conflicts have been on rise since May last year, is now volatile again following protests and violence after recovering bodies of women and children.

Shah will hold a key meeting and review the situation in Manipur on Monday. He is likely to give directions for handling the current "volatile" situation in the state, stated PTI.

Residence of three more BJP legislators, including a senior minister, and a Congress MLA was torched by a violent mob in Imphal Valley on Saturday night. Additionally, Security forces thwarted an attempt by agitators to storm the ancestral residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

These incidents took place despite the ongoing curfew imposed after people, agitated by the Jiribam district incident where three women and three children were killed by militants, attacked the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs earlier on Saturday, according to PTI.

Resident of PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam at Ningthoukhong, Hiyanglam's BJP MLA Y Radheshyam at Langmeidong Bazar, Wangjing Tentha's BJP MLA Paonam Brojen in Thoubal district and Khundrakpam's Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar in Imphal East district was torched by the violent mob.

At the time of the incident, the legislators and their family members were not at home, stated police officials. The mob charged into their residential compounds, vandalised properties and set the house on fire. The police officials added that the houses were burnt partially.

Last week, insurgents, camouflaged in uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons had attacked the Borobekra police station and an adjacent CRPF camp, which led to a fierce gunfight with security forces. Manipur police reported that 10 suspected militants were killed in the incident at Jakuradhor, Jiribam on November 11.

The police said that hours after the incident, suspected militants abducted six civilians, including women and children from Jiribam district.

The Union home ministry, on Saturday, said all security forces presented in Manipur are directed to take necessary actions to curb violence and restore order and peace.

The home ministry said strict action would be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities. Seeing the fragile situation, the Centre on Thursday reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur's six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam, reported PTI.

Since May last year, more than 220 people have been killed with thousands left homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo community.

The violent clash began after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was held in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Jiribam, an ethnically diverse region, was largely untouched by the clashes, saw violence when a mutilated body of a farmer was found in a field in June this year.

(With inputs from PTI)