MPs under tight cordon as Manipur conflict rages on | Latest news India

The Central Armed Paramilitary Forces were attached to provide security cover for at least 18 MLAs from the valley in Manipurofficials familiar with the matter said Friday, in a move that came after lawmakers’ homes were targeted by violent protesters.

CRPF and BSF personnel have set up bunkers and barricades outside the legislators’ houses, officials said. The paramilitary forces are in addition to the security already provided by the Manipur Police.

Senior police officers said that in the wake of last week’s violence, MPs have approached police expressing concern about the threat to their lives and their families.

“Security has been provided to all deputies, but we have provided stricter security (in terms of the number of personnel) to those against whom there are specific threats. The bunkers at the MPs’ houses were made by the forces based on their standard operating procedure. Casper vans along with riot control personnel have also been posted at some places,” said a senior police officer from Manipur.

Lawmakers said that although the mob did not indulge in arson, they stole valuables, shoes, clothes, bags of rice and even utensils.

Read more: Manipur: 9 bodies of Jiribam victims sent back from Assam hospital amid tight security

In at least three places, including the houses of MPs Biswajit Singh and L Susindro and Chief Minister Biren Singh, security forces resorted to firing non-lethal ammunition in the air to disperse the crowd. One of the MLAs, S Kebi from Naoriya Pakhanglakpa, was rescued by security forces.

The attacks also prompted the government on November 16 to send in the army and the Assam Rifles, which were brought into the city to restore normalcy. As of Friday, around 600 Army and AR personnel were still deployed in Imphal.

One MLA, S Kebi Devi, alleged that she was abducted and taken to the CM’s office because they were forcing her to resign. “They took me to the CM’s office for safety. While I was taken to the CM’s office by a crowd of nearly a thousand people, a group of 20-30 men had stayed back. They broke the windows and stole jewellery, cash and shoes,” said Devi.

“There were many criminals who took advantage of the protest and ran away with the deputies’ valuables. It was a wedding in the family of a deputy. The robbers stole jewelery and money from the cupboard of his house,” said the senior officer, who asked not to be named.

MP Radheshyam Yumnam, whose house was looted and set on fire, said: “There were looters present in the crowd of civilian protesters, who even robbed us of our shoes and clothes. They burned the furniture, took whatever money we had and even ran away with the utensils from the house. SP sent BSF personnel to my house for security but I told them there is nothing to protect. There is no more room for BSF personnel to stay.”

MP Rajen Singh said the mob ran away not only with money but also with his clothes and eight sacks of rice. “There was a crowd of about 200-300 that gathered. They also robbed us of our clothes and burned the rest. CRPF was offered to me. I wrote to the police and asked for more security.”

Angry mobs attacked the lawmakers’ homes on November 16 after photos of three of the six kidnapped women and children appeared on social media. The six, which included an 8-month-old baby, were abducted by suspected Kuki militants after a fight in Jiribam.

Kuldiep Singh, security adviser and head of the Manipur Unified Command, said 32 people have been arrested so far in connection with the arson and vandalism of MPs’ houses last week.