Manipur violence: 2 bodies found in river; Amit Shah to hold key meeting today

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Monday (November 18) hold a key meeting to review the security situation in Manipur and is expected to chalk out a strategy to handle the "volatile" situation in the northeastern state, sources said.

The dead bodies of a 2-year-old boy and a 65-year-old woman were found floating in a river. A resident of one of the relief camps, Laisharam Herojit, said his whole family was among the dead. His son's severed head and his mother's decomposed body were found in the river. 

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, among other top officials, are expected to attend the meeting, they said.

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Shah also took stock of the security situation in Manipur on Sunday (November 17) after cancelling his election rallies in Maharashtra.

Discovery of dead bodies sets off fresh protests

The situation in Manipur, which has been reeling from ethnic strife since May last year, has been volatile following protests and violence after the recovery of six bodies of women and children.

Irate mobs set fire to the residences of three more BJP legislators, one of whom is a senior minister, and a Congress MLA in various districts of Imphal Valley on Saturday night (November 16) even as security forces foiled an attempt by agitators to storm the ancestral residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

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These incidents took place even as an indefinite curfew was clamped after people, agitated by the killing of three women and three children by militants in Jiribam district, attacked the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs earlier on Saturday.

The legislators and their family members were not at home when the mobs stormed their residential compounds, vandalised properties and set the houses on fire, police said, adding the houses were partially burnt in the incidents.

NPP withdraws support from Manipur govt

The Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) has withdrawn support from the BJP government in Manipur following the fresh bouts of violence.

Last year, another NDA partner in the state, the Kuki People’s Alliance, had quit the NDA.

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In a letter to BJP national president JP Nadda, the NPP said the Manipur government under Chief Minister Biren Singh had “completely failed to control the ethnic violence in the state and restore normalcy”.

Home Ministry warns of ‘strict action’

On Saturday, the Union home ministry said all security forces deployed in Manipur have been directed to take necessary steps to restore order and peace in the state.

It said armed miscreants from both communities in conflict have been indulging in violence leading to unfortunate loss of lives and disruption in public order.

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The home ministry said strict action would be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities. Seeing the fragile situation, the Centre on Thursday reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur's six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam.

The ethnically diverse Jiribam, which was largely untouched by the clashes, witnessed violence after the mutilated body of a farmer was found in a field in June this year.

(With inputs from agencies)