NEW DELHI: Representatives of a Meitei group from Delhi met defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (September 15).

The Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) in the meeting with Rajnath Singh demanded removal of Assam Rifles from violence-affected Northeast state of Manipur.

The meeting was held at the residence of defence minister Rajnath Singh.

The DMCC demanded that the Assam Rifles should be replaced with some other central armed force in Manipur.

Earlier, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) ha d also sought the removal of Assam Rifles from the state.

The COCOMI, while demanding removal of the Assam Rifles, alleged that the oldest paramilitary force in India was ‘biased’.

Also read: Manipur violence: 175 killed & 1108 injured thus far, says police

Notably, women groups belonging to the majority Meitei community in Manipur also held a series of protests against the Assam Rifles.

It may be mentioned here that the Northeast state of Manipur has been on the boil since May 3 after ethnic clashes broke out between the Kuki and Meitei communities in the state.

A total of 175 persons, including women and children, were killed in the ethnic violence in Manipur as of September 14, 2023.

This was informed by inspector general (IG) of Manipur police – Dr IK Muivah while briefing the media in Imphal on Thursday (September 14).

Of the 175 people, who lost their lives in the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur that started on May 3, bodies of 79 have been claimed by their relatives.

However, 96 bodies are still unclaimed and are lying at different hospitals in the state, informed the Manipur police IG.

Also read: Manipur: Police officer shot dead by unknown armed miscreants in Churachandpur

42 unclaimed bodies are at present lying at the Churachandpur district hospital, 28 at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal and 26 at the state government-run Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Manipur.

Furthermore, a total of 1108 persons, including women and children, also sustained injuries in the violence in the state.

32 persons are on the missing lists, the Manipur cop said.

A total of 360 bunkers constructed at different periphery and vulnerable areas of Manipur have been destroyed in the police and security forces actions till date, the IGP added.