Imphal: Home Minister Amit Shah has directed that all roads in Manipur remain open for free movement starting from March 8.
He also ordered strict action against anyone trying to block the roads. This decision follows a security review meeting held by Shah in Delhi, aimed at restoring peace in the state, which has been affected by ethnic violence since May 2023.
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This was the first review meeting since President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur.
Manipur has experienced severe violence over nearly two years, with over 200 people killed. In January, a Kuki group had blocked the NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) highway in the Kangpokpi district, but the blockade was later lifted. Shah also emphasized the importance of dismantling the drug trade in the state to make Manipur drug-free.
The review meeting was attended by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, top government officials, and army and paramilitary leaders. It followed a February 20 ultimatum from the Governor, urging people to surrender illegal or looted weapons.
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Over 300 weapons were handed over in the week after the deadline, mostly from the valley districts. The deadline for weapon surrender was extended to March 6 in response to requests from locals.
Thousands of weapons had been looted from police stations during the early stages of the violence, and the central government is working to recover them as part of its plan to bring peace to the region.
President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned, and the state assembly has been suspended until 2027.
The violence started on May 3, 2023, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in the hill districts, which was held to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The situation has since led to repeated clashes between the Meitei and tribal communities.