Yogi instructs officials to assist UP students stranded in violence-hit Manipur

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 7 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday instructed the officials to provide all possible assistance to the students of the state stranded in Manipur where tensions soared following violent incidents.

Following the Chief Minister’s instructions, UP Principal Secretary Sanjay Prasad spoke to the Chief Secretary of Manipur and requested for all possible help, according to an official statement.

“CM Yogi gave instructions for help to the Home Department. Principal Secretary Sanjay Prasad spoke to the Chief Secretary of Manipur and requested for all possible help. Office of the Relief Commissioner of UP has been entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating with the Government of Manipur,” the statement said.

Meawhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that a special aircraft has been arranged to rescue 22 students of the state stranded in violence-hit Manipur.

“A special aircraft has been arranged to rescue 22 stranded students back to Maharashtra and soon this aircraft will enter Maharashtra with these students,” the CM said in a statement.

Indian Army and Assam Rifles which were called in to curb violence in Manipur have successfully rescued nearly 23,000 civilians so far and moved them to the operating bases, a statement from the Indian Army said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met with the representatives of the ‘Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI)’ in the wake of the violence in the State, informed CM in a tweet.

Political parties including Congress, NPF, NPP, CPI (M), Aam Aadmi Party and Shiv Sena attended the meeting chaired by Biren Singh himself.

Taking to Twitter CM N Biren Singh wrote “In light of the prevailing situation in Manipur, held a meeting with the representatives of ‘Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI)’ to highlight the crucial role of civil society organisations in bringing peace in the state at this hour.”

The meeting follows violence that erupted in the immediate aftermath of inter-community clashes in a few districts of the northeastern State amid protests against the inclusion of the majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

Manipur Government had requisitioned Army and Assam Rifles on May 3 and 4. State’s Director General of Police P Doungel has said that the situation in the State has improved after the intervention of security forces.

Forces including RAF, BSF and CRPF have been deployed in Manipur, he said and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) chief Kuldiep Singh, has been appointed as the security advisor.

The State government has also appointed Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence), Ashutosh Sinha as the overall operational commander to control the situation in Manipur, the State DGP said.

The Army in a statement earlier on Friday said that situation in Manipur had been brought under control through coordinated actions by all stakeholders.

“IAF undertook continuous sorties from two airfields in Assam employing C17 Globemaster and AN 32 aircraft,” Indian Army had stated.