Drone Surveillance, Flag Marches: How Army Is Helping Violence-Hit Manipur Pick Up The Pieces

Besides keeping round-the-clock vigil throughout the state, the Army and Assam Rifles are carrying out surveillance along the Indo-Myanmar Border as well.

People who had fled their homes have started to return to Manipur

As life in violence-hit Manipur continued to limp back to normal, the Indian Army along with the Assam Rifles (AR) have re-engineered the security architecture and infused numerous resources in the state. Even though the situation is tense at some vulnerable areas, it is not that volatile as it was until a few days ago. 

Moreover, curfew has also been relaxed in 11 districts, including Imphal West, Bishnupur, Churachandpur and Jiribam, for six hours from 5 am.

With peace prevailing in most of the districts, especially in the Imphal Valley, people who had fled their homes or were stranded in other parts of the state or had to take refuge somewhere outside the state have now started to return.

Two children with their mother at a relief camp (Source: Army)

 The Indian Army is leaving no stone unturned to carry out surveillance of the areas not only in the hinterland, but also along the Indo-Myanmar Border. The Army and Assam Rifles are keeping round-the-clock vigil throughout the state to prevent any further untoward incident.

Surveillance through Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are also being carried out. Moreover, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed several Mi-17 and Cheetah helicopters to keep an eagle's eye on the ground in vulnerable areas.

A total of 128 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles continued flag marches in the affected areas to bring back confidence among the local people.

"The Indian Army is leaving no stones unturned to undertake surveillance of areas not only in hinterland but also along the India-Myanmar Border. Round-the-clock surveillance through Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with specific tasking, employment of Mi-17 and Cheetah helicopters of Indian Air Force and Army and numerous foot patrols and flag marches to restore confidence of locals on ground are being resorted to," the Defence PRO said on Wednesday.

An Army officer at a violence-hit Meitei village in Manipur (Source: Army)

The Indian Army and AR said it was fully committed to restore complete normalcy at the earliest and also requested all the peace-loving people of the princely state to disregard any malicious attempt by people with vested interest in the region to spread fake news.

Meanwhile, Assam Rifles personnel on Wednesday evacuated several people from Nagaland who were stranded in Manipur. A total of 676 and 553 individuals were evacuated in two phases.

Earlier in the day, unidentified miscreants fired upon a column of the AR at the Dolaithabi area in the Imphal East district of Manipur.

The miscreants fled after the security personnel retaliated and fired a few rounds. An AR jawan sustained bullet injury and was evacuated to the nearby military hospital where he is undergoing treatment.