Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security review meeting on Saturday, instructing security forces to ensure the free movement of people across Manipur from March 8 and to take strict action against any attempts to obstruct roads.

The meeting comes amid the ongoing ethnic conflict that has gripped the northeastern state for nearly two years.

Advertisement

Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The prolonged unrest, which erupted in May 2023 due to clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, has claimed over 200 lives and displaced tens of thousands.

Shah’s directive also aligns with the Centre’s broader strategy to restore law and order, dismantle insurgency networks, and prevent cross-border infiltration along the Indo-Myanmar border.

The security meeting followed the March 6 ultimatum issued by Manipur Governor urging individuals to surrender looted and illegal weapons.

During the seven-day deadline, over 300 firearms were surrendered, including 246 weapons from the Meitei radical group Arambai Tenggol in the valley districts.

However, thousands of arms, looted from police stations and armories during the initial phase of violence, remain unaccounted for.

Responding to public appeals from both hill and valley communities, the governor extended the surrender deadline to March 6 at 4 PM. Security agencies are also devising strategies to recover looted weapons from militant factions and armed civilian groups, ensuring that no group retains disproportionate firepower.

The ethnic violence in Manipur erupted in May 2023 over the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, sparking tensions with the Kuki-Zo tribal groups. The conflict quickly escalated into large-scale rioting, arson, and armed confrontations, leading to the formation of ethnic militias and the mass looting of arms from security forces.

Despite multiple peace talks, the conflict has deepened fault lines between the valley-dwelling Meiteis and the hill-based Kukis, leaving Manipur in a state of prolonged crisis. The imposition of President’s Rule is seen as an attempt by the Centre to directly administer the state and fast-track de-escalation efforts.