According to officials, Army Chief Gen. Manoj Pande will travel to Manipur on Saturday to assess the state’s violent situation.
During the Army Chief’s two-day visit to the state, the Eastern Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Rana Pratap Kalita, will also accompany him. A senior Army official told PTI that Pande and Kalita will travel from Delhi to Imphal in order to assess the situation on the ground in light of the ongoing ethnic conflicts between communities.
“Pande will discuss the situation with the Governor, Chief Minister, and Security Advisor,”
Gen Pande and Lt Gen Kalita will also assess the law and order situation with the ground commanders, including those from other forces.
Gen Pande is scheduled to return on Sunday, while Lt Gen Kalita is likely to remain in Manipur for the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah beginning on Monday, according to Army sources.
A ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts of Manipur on 3 May to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. As a result, clashes broke out.
Tensions over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land had led to a succession of minor disturbances before the outbreak of violence.
Meiteis constitute approximately 53% of Manipur’s population and reside primarily in the Imphal Valley. The hill districts are home to an additional 40 percent of the population, who are Nagas and Kukis.
Approximately 10,000 army and paramilitary personnel had to be dispatched to restore normalcy in the northeastern state after the ethnic clashes claimed over 70 lives.
