Manipur Violence: Retd HC Judge to Monitor Probe, Says Amit Shah

A slew of Measures have been announced by the Centre to check and contain the ethnic clashes which erupted in Manipur including a judicial probe into the conflict that has so far claimed scores of lives. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah while addressing a press briefing in Imphal said that the central government has constituted a committee headed by a retired high court judge to monitor a special CBI team’s investigation into incidents of violence in the northeastern state.

"Several agencies are working in Manipur to investigate violent incidents. High-level CBI probe in 6 incidents of violence that hint at a conspiracy. We will make sure that the investigation is fair," said Shah.

A relief and rehabilitation have been prepared for those affected by the conflict, with both the Centre and the state chipping in Rs 5 lakh each for the kin of those who lost their lives in the violence, said Shah. The Governor of Manipur will head a peace committee with members of civil society, he added.

Shah further stated that the central government has provided 8 teams of medical experts including 20 doctors to Manipur to provide aid to victims of violence in the state. 5 teams have already reached here and 3 others are on the way.

Shah is on a four-day visit to violence-hit Manipur to broker peace between warring communities. During his tour of the state, he chaired meetings with security forces and civil officials and held discussions with various stakeholders.

“I have visited several places in Manipur in the last three days including Imphal, Moreh, and Churachandpur and held meetings with officials to establish peace in the state. I have met CSOs of Meitei and Kuki communities,” he said.

Last month, violence broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organized in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

After a relative lull for over a fortnight, the state witnessed a sudden spurt in clashes, and gunfight between militants and security forces on Sunday.

So far, over 80 people have been killed in the violence, according to officials.

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