NEW DELHI: The union home ministry has increased the availability of chartered aircraft for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel traveling between Kolkata and Imphal to six days a week, citing their “continued deployment” in strife-torn Northeast state of Manipur.
This augmentation of the air courier service for CAPF personnel, including those from the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, CISF, and other organizations under the ministry of home affairs (MHA) such as the Intelligence Bureau, NIA and NDRF, will remain in effect until September 30.
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The air courier service involves the exclusive engagement of commercial airline aircraft, such as chartered planes, by the MHA for security personnel serving in challenging and highly volatile areas like Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast states, and regions affected by left-wing extremism (LWE).
A senior official from the home ministry informed PTI that the frequency of flights between Kolkata and Imphal in Manipur has been increased from three days a week to six days due to the “frequent movement of CAPF personnel for induction and de-induction from Imphal, Manipur’s capital, in response to the evolving security challenges in the state.”
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An MHA order issued in this regard specified that the extension of the air courier service would continue until September 30 or until the presence of these forces diminishes due to an improvement in the law and order situation, whichever occurs earlier.
Since the outbreak of violence in Manipur in May last year, approximately 150 additional CAPF companies have been deployed to the state as reinforcements.
Each CAPF company typically comprises around 75-80 personnel.
Ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3 last year, following a tribal solidarity march in the hill districts protesting against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Since then, at least 219 people have lost their lives in clashes between the Meitei and Kuki groups in Manipur.