Imphal- Ten Kuki-Jo legislators from Manipur have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to intervene and ensure that the Assam Rifles remain deployed in sensitive areas of the state afflicted by ethnic violence, rather than replacing them with the CRPF. The legislators argue that substituting the Assam Rifles, which possess significant local knowledge, with a new force "that lacks comparative understanding" could exacerbate the violence.

This plea comes amid reports suggesting that two battalions of the Assam Rifles stationed in Kangvai and Kangpokpi are slated to be replaced by the CRPF.

The Kuki-Jo legislators have characterized the Assam Rifles as a neutral force and denounced the proposed substitution with the CRPF as a "nefarious scheme."

Their memorandum asserts, “We have learned of plans to remove the 9th and 22nd battalions of the Assam Rifles from their current sensitive postings in Kangvai and Kangpokpi. At this critical juncture, replacing the Assam Rifles with the CRPF constitutes nothing less than a malevolent conspiracy.”

Violence Resurfaces in Jiribam

Just one day after a peace agreement was reached between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Jiribam, violence has flared up again. Reports indicate that gunfire was exchanged, and an abandoned house was set ablaze. According to officials, the arson occurred on Friday night when armed assailants targeted an empty house in Lalpani village.

An official noted, “This incident took place in a completely different settlement where some Meitei community members reside. Since the outbreak of violence in the district, most of these homes have been deserted. The rioters exploited the absence of security forces in the area to carry out the arson. The identities of the perpetrators remain unknown.”

The official also reported that the armed assailants fired shots at the settlement. Following the incident, additional security personnel were dispatched to the area. The agreement between Meitei and Kuki representatives was facilitated during a meeting held by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Cachar, Assam.