The Centre has decided to send an additional 50 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), comprising over 5,000 personnel, to Manipur to address the “challenging” security and law-and-order situation in the northeastern state. This move follows a request from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in light of escalating violence in the region.
The deployment comes after the MHA rushed 20 additional CAPF companies, including 15 from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 5 from the Border Security Force (BSF), to Manipur on November 12, following unrest in Jiribam district that spread to other areas.
The newly deployed forces will bolster the existing security presence in the state. Of the 50 companies, 35 will be from the CRPF, and the remaining 15 will be drawn from the BSF. The deployment plan is being devised in consultation with the state government and the MHA, with forces being stationed based on the intensity of the violence and the evolving law-and-order situation.
With this new deployment, the total number of CAPF companies in the state will rise to 218, as Manipur continues to grapple with ethnic tensions that have simmered since May last year.
CRPF Director General A.D. Singh and senior officials from other CAPFs are already on the ground in Manipur to oversee operations. The Centre’s move comes ahead of a crucial security review meeting scheduled for Monday, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to discuss strategies to stabilize the region.
The state has witnessed ongoing violence following protests and unrest sparked by the recovery of the bodies of women and children, fueling ethnic conflicts between the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo groups in the surrounding hills. The MHA has directed all deployed security forces to take necessary measures to restore peace and maintain order, warning of strict action against those inciting further violence.
In a bid to regain control, the Centre has also reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas, including the violence-prone Jiribam district. Since the violence erupted in May, over 220 people have been killed and thousands displaced, with tensions remaining high between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
