Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 02 2008:
MANIPUR GOVERNMENT has invited Central security establishments deploying in the state to submit their views and comments on the extension of disturbed area status which was lifted from the Imphal municipality in 2004 on or before November 15, official source said today.
Meanwhile, state police chief has also instructed all the districts superintendent of police to provide adequate security to the personnel of the border security forces maintaining roads in the state following an instruction from the state chief minister.
Mention may be made, with the lifting of the disturbed area status in November 2004 for a year from the Imphal municipality area, the Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958 was repealed from the area government which is reviewable for every six month.
The extension period ended on November 30 coming and as usual the state government has started reviewing law and order situation of the state with reference to the increasing activities of the militants within the Imphal municipality area.
A high level review meeting was held on October 30 last under the chair of chief minister, O Ibobi Singh.
In the meeting which top officials of the Central security forces deploying in state like the Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF and Army, chief minister asked them to submit their written comments and view on the further extension of the disturb area status on or before November 15.State chief secretary, principal secretary, home and state DGP also attended the meeting.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Central security forces while observing that they could not effectively conduct counter insurgency operations in the area where AFSPA Act was lifted have been insisting the state government to re-declare it.
They also put down the data of the insurgency related fatalities and extortion from the people, businessmen and government officials.
Considering the recent spates of militancy related fatalities in the area within the jurisdiction of the Imphal Municipality areas, this time of also the Central as well as state security establishments are likely to give their comments and view in favour of the resumption of the declaration of disturbed area status, the source hinted.
To recalled some of the militancy related incidents which can be considered to a great concern to the security in the Imphal municipal areas were blasting of a lathod bomb inside the chief minister's bungalow on the night of October 1, explosion of a hand grenade on the main road nearby the same bungalow on October 19 night while state police is celebrating its raising day and the most recent incident of bomb blast at Ragailong near the Assam Rifles transit camp and closed to family quarters of the state police commandos on October 21 .
The Ragailong blast which owned by the KCP(MC), mention may be made at claimed 17 people including three personnel of the police commandos who were watching a dice (Diwali) gambling there.
Meanwhile, the meeting also thoroughly discussed on intimation received from the Union ministry of shipping and transport, New Delhi regarding a complaint lodged by the Border Road Organization, BRO.
As complaint lodged by the BRO to the Union ministry of shipping and transport as forwarded to the ministry to the state government, their personnel could not work properly due to the disturbance given by the militants and anti-social elements in the north eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir.
Following chief minister's directive, state DGP has asked district SPs to provide security to the BRO workers and personnel maintaining roads located within their respective jurisdictions, the source said.
The high level meeting of October 30 last also discussed on the security scenario on the national highways passing through the state in the aftermath of the burning of a inter-state bus at Nohorijan near the Dimapur gate on October 24 last which charred to death two people including a aged old woman.
In the meeting, the chief minister has also advice the Central security forces deploying along the highways in the state asked to intensify patrolling and check the disturbances to the highway travelers by the anti-social elements.