Ex-CJ Ajai Lamba to head Manipur probe panel; lift blockades, says Amit Shah

New Delhi, June 4

The Centre on Sunday set up a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) headed by former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba to probe the recent series of violence in Manipur that claimed more than 80 lives even as Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to people to lift blockades on the Imphal-Dimapur NH-2 to facilitate transportation of essential items to the violence-hit state to overcome scarcity.

In a notification, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the commission would probe the causes and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities, which took place on May 3 and thereafter.

Report in 6 months

• Manipur has been witnessing violence ever since ethnic clashes first broke out on May 3
• Violence preceded by tension over eviction of Kuki tribals from reserve forestland
• Commission to probe causes of violence, submit report to Centre within 6 months

The other members on the panel are retired IAS officer Himanshu Sekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar. “The headquarters of the CoI shall be in Imphal,” the notification read.

The commission shall submit its report to the Union Government as soon as possible, but not later than six months from the date of its first sitting. In a tweet on Sunday, Shah said, “My sincerest appeal to the people of Manipur to lift blockades so that food, medicines, petrol/diesel, and other necessary items can reach affected areas.”

Supplies affected

My appeal to people of Manipur is to lift blockades so that food, medicines, fuel and other items reach affected areas. Amit Shah, Union Home Minister

The appeal came at a time when security adviser to the Manipur Government Kuldiep Singh claimed peace was returning to the state and curfew had been relaxed in the valley and the neighbouring hill districts. A total of 789 arms and 10,648 ammunition have been recovered till date, he said.

Manipur has been witnessing sporadic violence ever since ethnic clashes broke out on May 3. Shah had visited the state for four days between May 29 and June 1 and after taking stock of the situation had announced to constitute the probe panel.