According to the State notification issued by the home commissioner of Manipur Government, the entire State, except for 19 specific police station areas, was declared a “disturbed area” under AFSPA as the State government didn’t wish to review the disturbed area status of the state.
The government is of the opinion that the “violent activities of various extremist/insurgent groups warrant the use of the Armed Forces in aid of civil administration in the entire state of Manipur,” the notification reads.
The notification said that the state government is of the opinion, after analysing the prevailing law and order situation in the state, that it is not expedient to have a detailed assessment on the ground as the security agencies are preoccupied with maintaining law and order situation. So the State government decided to maintain the status quo on the declared disturbed area status, the notification reads.
It further stated that in view of the “overall law and order situation in the State and the capability of the state machinery, the state government has decided to maintain the status quo on the present disturbed area status for the next six months with effects from October 1.
The notification excluded 19 police stations from the jurisdiction of disturbed area status. The police stations are Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai, Irilbung, Leimakhong, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol, Moirang, Kakching, and Jiribam.
It should be mentioned that Imphal valley areas saw massive protests by students on September 26 after the photos of one minor girl and a 20 years old boy allegedly kidnapped and killed by Kuki militants went viral.
20 year old Phijam Hemjit (20) and 17 year old minor girl Hijam Linthoingambi had been missing since July. They were allegedly kidnapped by Kuki armed militants on July 6 from Bishnupur and were taken to Churachandpur.
In one photo the minor girl and the boy were seen in a militant camp and two armed militants were seen behind them. In another viral photo, the bodies of the killed students were lying in the same location. The viral photos created huge outrage amongst the Meitei community.
On the other hand the Manipur cabinet on September 26 sought Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s intervention into the death of two Meitei teens who were abducted on July 6, 2023. Special CBI team led by the director of the investigation agency reached Manipur to investigate the abduction and killing of the minor girl and 20 years old Meitei boy.
