Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday visited the strife-torn state of Manipur on a four-day visit and chaired a high-level meeting with Chief Minister N Biren Singh along with ministers of the state, senior leaders and officials in state capital Imphal to assess the situation and plan further steps to restore normalcy in the region.
On the first day of his visit to the north eastern state, Shah held a meeting in the presence of Union Minister for State Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, and Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka among other officials concerned in the state as well as the Centre, reported ANI.
During his stay in Manipur till June 1, the Union minister will hold several rounds of security meetings, the news agency reported.
Manipur, afflicted by ethnic conflict for nearly a month witnessed a sudden spurt in clashes and firing between militants and security forces on Sunday, after a relative lull for several weeks.
80 people have been reported dead in the ethnic clashes so far since the rioting began on May 3, as per the officials, reported PTI. Three people succumbed to injuries on Monday while two were killed in a firing by militants on Sunday.
Army and paramilitary personnel have been conducting combing operations in the Imphal valley and surrounding districts, an official said. The Army operation is aimed at confiscating illegal caches of arms, he said.
At least 25 miscreants with arms, ammunition and grenades have been rounded up by Indian Army and paramilitary forces across ethnic-strife riven Manipur, officials added on Monday.
Shah had earlier also held meetings with CM Biren Singh. On May 14 and 14, the Union minister held a series of meetings with the CM and representatives of Meiti and Kuki communities as well other stakeholders to review the measures taken for restoring peace in the state.