An already-tense Manipur is under a heavier security cover today for a massive public meeting called by Arambai Tenggol group at Kangla fort in the state's capital Imphal.
Arambai Tenggol, an organisation of around 50,000 people engaged in guarding villages in the valley areas of Manipur, has asked all ministers and MLAs of the valley districts to come for discussions, the details of which have not been specified, an official said, adding "there are intelligence reports that they (Arambai Tenggol) are planning to enter Kangla fort with arms before the meeting.
Forces in full battle gear are guarding the high-security area where the Raj Bhavan, CM Secretariat, Manipur Police headquarters, 1st Manipur Rifles complex and Kangla Fort are located.
Security forces have barricaded all the entry points to the Kanga fort. The Kangla fort served as the royal seat of the Manipur kingdom till 1891.
Earlier also, Arambai Tenggol had asked all legislators to attend a meeting at Kangla Fort, the official said.
The group has demanded the delisting of Kukis from the ST list, deportation of refugees to camps in Mizoram, border fencing, replacement of Assam Rifles with other paramilitary forces and revoking Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement between Centre and Kuki militant groups, officials said.
Manipur has been severely hit by ethnic violence that has been going on since May last year and has killed around 200 people so far.
The violence erupted on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. At the same time, tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.
Amid this, a team of the Ministry of Home Affairs is said to have reached Manipur on Monday to hold talks with representatives of Meiti and Kuki communities in a bid to restore peace.
A delegation of senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) arrived in Imphal on Monday (January 22) to hold discussions aimed at restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur.
