New Delhi: Amid violent protests over the death of two youths in Manipur, the police on Thursday said that a meeting of senior officers of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) was held at the Police Headquarters in Imphal to discuss the present law and order situation in the northeastern state.
During the meeting, the officers were apprised of the unfortunate injuries of students as well as security personnel, police said adding that the forces discussed using minimum force in dealing with the public, especially students.
"A meeting of senior officers of CAPF was held at PHQ, Imphal to discuss the present law and order situation in the state. The officers were apprised of the unfortunate injuries of students as well as security personnel. The forces discussed to use minimum force in dealing with the public especially students," the Manipur Police said in a post on 'X,' formerly Twitter.
"Manipur Police appeals to the students to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace and bringing normalcy back early. Any miscreants taking advantage of the current situation will be firmly dealt by police. The joint security forces are making all efforts for expeditious investigation into all the cases," the police added in the post.
Fresh protests erupted in the northeastern state on Monday after photos of the bodies of the two students -- Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17) -- who reportedly went missing in July went viral on social media. The government responded by re-imposing the suspension of internet services for five days as a precautionary measure and announced that all schools in the state would be closed till Friday.
Earlier in the day, taking cognisance of reports about allegations of use of 'excess force' by security forces during the maintenance of law and order in the last few days in the Imphal area, Director General of Police Manipur Rajiv Singh on Thursday ordered to form a committee to look into the issues and asked it to submit a report at the earliest.
"There have been various reports/allegations of the use of excess force by the Security forces during the maintenance of law and order situations in the last few days in the Imphal area. To verify such complaints/allegations, a committee is being formed to look into the issues and submit the report at the earliest," read the order issued by the Director General Of Police Manipur.
More than 175 people have been killed and several hundreds injured since ethnic clashes broke out in the northeastern state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.