In a letter to the Manipur government, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had requested the state government on May 29, 2023, to quickly prepare a plan and initiate the biometric collection of illegal migrants.
As the ministry asked the Manipur government to complete the exercise by the end of September, it was thought that the process would be over by September 30.
Manipur government recently informed the home ministry that due to continuous unrest in the state, the process has been delayed and is in progress. The State government has informed that it may require some more time to complete the process.
In the wake of the request made by the state government, the MHA has decided to extend the time period till March 31, 2024, which has been communicated to the Manipur government. A letter sent by MHA stated that, the State government of Manipur has been asked to take appropriate necessary steps to complete the exercise within the revised time period i.e. up to March 31, 2024. In July, the Manipur government resumed the process of collecting biometric details of identified illegal immigrants in the state.
The State government had identified around 2,500 illegal immigrants. The majority of the identified illegal immigrants are currently in the Tengnoupal and Chandel districts which share a long border with Myanmar.
It should be mentioned that Lieutenant Col Venkata Ravi Kiran J of Assam Rifles in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Chandel district in Manipur stated that as many as 718 illegal immigrants had entered Indian territory on a single day. Due to ongoing clashes at Khampat, Myanmar, 718 fresh refugees entered the general area of New Lajang of Chandel district on July 23.
Lieutenant Col Venkata Ravi Kiran J in his letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Chandel district stated that, 38 illegal immigrants arrived at Bonse, 89 arrived at New Samtal, 230 arrived at New Lajang, 143 arrived at Yangnomphai village, 175 arrived at Yangon Phai saw mill and 30 arrived at Aivomjang village on 23rd July. Out of these 718 Myanmar nationals who entered Indian territory on July 23, two hundred nine are males, two hundred and eight are females and three hundred and one are children. The Manipur government on July 24 asked the Assam Rifles to immediately push back 718 illegal intruders including 301 children, who entered the State illegally.
Manipur government officials who were part of the exercise revealed that many immigrants or refugees from Myanmar had not only built houses in five hill districts but had established proper villages in the hill districts of Manipur. During the detection drive in the five hill districts, a total of 2,480 illegal immigrants or refugees from Myanmar were detected by the authorities.
Out of these, 2,480 illegal immigrants, 1,147 people were detected in the Tengnoupal district where they have established 13 villages. In Chandel, a total of 1,175 people were detected in 10 villages. These villages were established by the illegal immigrants and refugees from Myanmar in recent times. Likewise 154 illegal Myanmar nationals established 6 new villages in hill areas of Churachandpur district. It should be mentioned that heavy influx from troubled torn Myanmar continues to Manipur and Mizoram.
