Amit Shah cancels poll rallies, heads back to Delhi as Manipur continues to be volatile

Amid spiralling violence in Manipur with irate mobs attacking residences of political leaders, including that of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday cancelled his rallies in Maharashtra and rushed to Delhi to monitor the situation in the state.

With civil society groups giving the state government a 24-hour ultimatum to take decisive action against militant groups, CRPF Director General Anish Dayal rushed to Imphal to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, Shah is learnt to be holding a review meeting with top security officials and home ministry officials over the situation in Manipur.

Irate mobs had on Saturday set fire to the residences of three more BJP legislators, one of whom is a senior minister, and a Congress MLA as well as the chief minister's son-in-law, in various districts of Imphal Valley, even as security forces foiled an attempt by agitators to storm the ancestral residence of chief minister N Biren Singh.

Shah was supposed to attend a few election rallies as part of the BJP's campaign in Maharashtra but he has cancelled them and returned to the national capital, sources said.

In a post on X on Sunday morning, Manipur police said, "Irate mobs have targeted various houses and properties of public representatives including Ministers and MLAs of the State in Imphal. Police have resorted to firing tear gas shells etc. to disperse the mob. Security forces including Army and Assam Rifles have been deployed in Imphal to strengthen the security in the town area. Flag marches have been conducted. Eight persons have been injured in the process of mob dispersal."

It said 23 people who were part of the mob indulging in ransacking and arson of the houses have been arrested from Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur districts and one .32 pistol and eight mobile phones have been recovered from their possession.

"Total curfew has been immediately clamped in the town until further orders. Internet and mobile data services have been suspended for two days immediately. SSPs have been deployed on ground to manage the law-and-order situation. Senior officers are critically monitoring the situation round the clock," the Manipur police's post said.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which represents several civil society groups in Imphal Valley, called for military action against militants within 24 hours.

COCOMI spokesperson K Athouba called for the immediate repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which was recently reinstated in areas covered by six police stations. The bodies of the 10 Kuki-Zo youths killed during Monday's gunfight were airlifted to Churachandpur on Saturday from Silchar, Assam, where autopsies were performed.