Ex-IPS officer to head Manipur riot probe says Assam CM promised BJP ticket
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An Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Anand Mishra, alleged that he had resigned after being named to lead a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the ethnic violence in Manipur because Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma promised him a BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha election, according to a report published by The Wire.
Mishra, originally from Buxar in Bihar, has since filed his nomination papers to contest the parliamentary elections from Buxar as an independent candidate.
Anand Mishra made this revelation on Facebook on May 19 in response to Himanta Biswa Sarma’s accusation, made during a BJP rally in Bihar on May 18, that Mishra is being supported by the opposition Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to divide the votes of the BJP candidate from Buxar, Mithlesh Tiwari.
In Facebook Live, Anand Mishra alleged that he was promised a BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha election from Bihar by Himanta Biswa Sarma and urged to resign as an IPS officer, only to later find out that he was betrayed, as he was neither included in the BJP nor given a ticket, The Wire reported.
The Supreme Court had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to form 42 SITs to investigate cases related to the violence in BJP-ruled Manipur, which erupted on May 3, 2023, resulting in over 200 deaths and displacing approximately 60,000 people.
The violence, primarily between the Meitei and Kuki communities, saw significant criticism directed at the state and central governments for their handling of the situation.
Mishra's resignation letter indicated his desire to serve his home state of Bihar, suggesting a shift in his career to politics. His resignation and subsequent political aspirations have stirred considerable media speculation, further fuelled by his social media activity and endorsements from BJP leaders.
In February, Nagaland BJP president and minister Temjen Imna Along praised Mishra, adding to the anticipation that he would join the BJP. However, in April, Mishra announced via a Facebook video that he would contest the elections as an independent candidate, citing his unfulfilled ambition to work for the country and its people through political means.
Mishra's career has been marked by notable actions and controversies. During his tenure in the Northeast, he conducted significant operations against Garo militants in Meghalaya.
While serving in Assam, Mishra was involved in an incident in 2022, where he was accused of shooting a local student leader in Nagaon, labelling him a drug peddler. The incident sparked public outrage, prompting an internal probe by the Assam government and resulting in Mishra's transfer to Lakhimpur.