Over 700 Myanmar nationals entered Manipur in 2 days; Assam Rifles gets strict advice: ‘Push back’

The Manipur government has sought a detailed report from the Assam Rifles on how over 718 Myanmar nationals, including 301 children, “were allowed to enter India” without “proper travel documents” in just two days between July 22 and 23 – “were allowed to enter India” without “proper travel documents”.

Manipur chief secretary Vineet Joshi said in a communication to the Assam Rifles late on Monday that “in connection with similar issues in the past, the State government had clearly informed the Assam Rifles, being border guarding force, to take strict action to prevent entry of Myanmar nationals into Manipur on any ground without valid visa/travel documents as per the instruction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.”

The Assam Rifles had earlier informed the deputy commissioner of Chandel district that 718 fresh refugees had crossed the Indo-Myanmar border and entered Manipur through Chandel district on July 23, due to the ongoing clashes at Khampat.

“…State Government has sought detailed report from Assam Rifles Authority to’ clarify on the facts and compelling circumstances/reasons, as to why and how these 718 Myanmar nationals were allowed to enter Into India In Chandel District without proper travel documents; along with strict advice to push back those 718 Illegal Myanmar nationals immediately,” Joshi said.

“The Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent or Police or Chandel District have also been advised to oversee the Implementation or the above and also keep biometrics and photographs of all such persons,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Manipur Police on Monday registered an FIR in connection with a “fake news” item in which a video, showing the killing of a woman by armed men in Myanmar, is being described as an incident that happened in the state.

The clip was being circulated to incite rioting and efforts are on to arrest those who are spreading the fake news, the police tweeted.

“FIR registered for spreading fake news: On 24/07/2023, Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS), Manipur registered a case in connection with the viral video of a woman being assaulted and killed by a mob including armed men (which happened in Myanmar), which has been falsely depicted as a case of Manipur.

Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after a May 4 video surfaced last week, showing two women from one of the warring communities in the northeastern state being paraded naked by a mob from the other side.

The Manipur Police have so far arrested seven people in connection with the incident.

More than 160 people have lost their lives and several were injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals — Nagas and Kukis — constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.