Manipur violence: Assam Rifles evacuates 47 Konyak girls from Thoubal district

Thoubal (Mpur) [India], May 9 : A total of 47 girls of the Konyak community from Nagaland have been evacuated from Yairipok town in Thoubal district, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The evacuation operation was carried out by Assam Rifles in coordination with Nagaland Government.

"All 47 Konyak Girls from Yairipok, Thoubal have been evacuated by Assam Rifles under the aegis of Inspector General of Assam Rifles (IGAR). Assam Rifles under IGAR (NORTH) rescue team went to the interiors of Thoubal District to extricate these girls. They were all working on an hourly wage basis in a Veneer factory. All are safe," the press release said.

On Sunday, Assam Rifles along with the Nagaland State Police successfully evacuated more than 600 Naga students and families from violence-hit Imphal.

Indian Army and Assam Rifles which were called in to curb violence in Mpur have successfully rescued nearly 23,000 civilians so far and moved them to the operating bases, a statement from the Indian Army said.

Earlier the rescue operation for evacuation of Nagaland citizens commenced on May 6. More than six hundred civilians have already been evacuated from the state.

The violence in Mpur had 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.