Manipur violence: CM Biren Singh holds all-party meeting

Imphal (Mpur) [India], May 6 : Mpur Chief Minister N Biren Singh is holding an all-party meeting on Saturday in the wake of the violence in the State. Political parties including Congress, NPF, NPP, CPI (M), Aam Aadmi Party and Shiv Sena are attending the meeting chaired by Biren Singh himself.

The meeting follows violence that erupted in the immediate aftermath of inter-community clashes in a few districts of the northeastern State amid protests against the inclusion of the majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

Mpur Government had requisitioned Army and Assam Rifles on May 3 and 4. State's Director General of Police P Doungel has said that the situation in the State has improved after the intervention of security forces.

Forces including RAF, BSF, CRPF have been deployed in Mpur, he said and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) chief Kuldiep Singh, has been appointed as the security advisor.

The State government has also appointed Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence), Ashutosh Sinha as the overall operational commander to control the situation in Mpur, the State DGP said. "As a result of the proactive and timely response, Churachandpur, KPI, Moreh and Kakching are now under firm control with no major violence since last night", the Indian Army had said in a statement on May 5 evening.

The Army said that situation in Mpur had been brought under control through coordinated actions by all stakeholders. "The situation has been brought under control through coordinated actions by all stakeholders. IAF undertook continuous sorties from two airfields in Assam employing C17 Globemaster and AN 32 aircraft," Indian Army had stated.