Hold officials accountable for fresh violence in Manipur: BJP leader

Guwahati: The latest spate of violence in Manipur’s Jiribam, bordering Assam’s Cachar district, has brought to focus the worse situation in the state again after the Lok Sabha polls.

The questions over the role of the state police and Central security forces in maintaining peace remain unanswered after the attack on Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s security convoy, The Indian Express reported.

The Jiribam district, which was relatively calm even during the state’s stormy situation in the previous months, has been gripped by escalating tensions since June 6.

The violence led to displacing around 2000 people and torching around 70 houses here, after armed miscreants targeted two police outposts, a forest beat office and multiple houses belonging to a community.

The Chief Minister’s Office on Sunday sought a report on “how violence flared up in Jiribam district” despite having issued two orders to the Director General of Police, Manipur in January this year to take pre-emptive measures against potential violence.

Measures were sought citing reports of movement of “200 armed Kuki-Zo militants” from Churachandpur to areas in Tamenglong district bordering Jiribam.

BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh on Tuesday demanded probe and action against ‘lackadaisical attitude of the officers’ who were given advance intelligence reports about situation in Jiribam earlier this year.

“These officers should be held accountable for the loss of lives and property of all those affected and, pending such enquiry they should be suspended and strict action should be taken up against them as per procedures prescribed by law,” he said on social media.

He also sought to hold the security officers responsible for ambush on the Chief Minister’s security convoy on Monday en route from Imphal to Jiribam.

“As a member of the Assembly, I demand that the state government immediately issue an order and fix responsibility against all the officers and people involved, and further ensure that the people of Jiribam are given adequate security and allowed to continue living at the original place of residence sooner than later,” he reportedly said.

Okram Ibobi Singh, former Chief Minister and the Congress Legislature Party leader, termed the attack on the Chief Ministers’ convoy “a clear indication of the total failure of the state’s intelligence agency”.