Manipur violence: Here’s how various states are trying to evacuate stranded students

Hyderabad: Violent clashes broke out between the Meitei community, which is the majority population in Manipur, and tribal groups in the state’s hill districts on Wednesday. The clashes were triggered by a Tribal Solidarity March organised in protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The violence has displaced thousands of people and resulted in at least 54 deaths.

In response, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh held an all-party meeting and announced the formation of peace committees in every Assembly constituency to ensure that peace initiatives are implemented at the grassroots level. He also held a video conference with senior officials of the state government, police, and paramilitary forces to review on-ground operations.

Several state governments are arranging special flights to evacuate their students and citizens from Manipur. The Andhra Pradesh government has set up a helpline and control centre at AP Bhavan in New Delhi to assist its students in Manipur, while the Telangana government has established a special cell to monitor the situation and protect the interests of its citizens in Manipur.

Following the Manipur High Court’s decision to incorporate the Meitei community under the ST category, violence erupted between the Meitei and other tribal communities across the state.

Over 150 Andhra students stranded in Manipur

While around 23,000 civilians from all communities have been rescued from the violence-hit Manipur, over 150 students from Andhra Pradesh are presently stranded in Manipur. The student families have petitioned the state government to evacuate the students with a special aircraft.

Former chief secretary and resident commissioner Aditya Nath Das has written to Manipur chief secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh requesting to arrange escort and security for the safe passage of 150 students from Manipur.

“We have established contact with the families of the students via a helpline and we gather that these students are studying at institutes such as NIT, IIT, and Central Agriculture University in Manipur. As you are aware, the present conditions in Manipur are causing distress to the students and their families back home. It is requested that a flight to Hyderabad or a Vijayawada may be arranged for the safe passage of these students from Manipur back to their homes,” read the letter.

The Andhra Pradesh government has set up a helpline and control centre at AP Bhavan in New Delhi to help its students in Manipur, with phone numbers 011-23384016 and 011-23387089.

The Andhra Pradesh government has requested necessary support to be extended for the safe passage of these students at the earliest.

Telangana arranges special flight to evacuate students

In response to the ongoing law and order situation in Manipur, the Telangana government has taken swift action to ensure the safe return of its students and citizens currently residing in the state. A special flight has been arranged to airlift approximately 250 individuals back to Hyderabad, with a special cell established to monitor the situation and protect the interests of Telangana people in Manipur.

According to sources, Telangana chief secretary Shanti Kumari is in close contact with her Manipur counterpart to coordinate efforts for the safe evacuation of Telangana residents. The Telangana director general of police, Anjani Kumar, is also working closely with the Manipur police to ensure the safety of Telangana students and citizens in Manipur.

In addition to the special flight, a control room has been set up in both Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi and Hyderabad to monitor the situation and provide assistance to those affected. The Telangana government’s swift response to the situation in Manipur demonstrates its commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens, particularly those studying or residing outside of the state.

Maharashtra CM assures special flight for students

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said a special flight will be arranged for students from the state currently stuck in the riot-hit Manipur.

CM Shinde, in an official statement, said his government was keeping a watch on the situation in Manipur.

“There are 22 students (in Manipur) from Maharashtra. I have spoken to two of them—Vikash Sharma and Tushar Awhad—and assured them of arranging a special flight to return home. I told them not to be afraid of anything, and the state is making all the necessary arrangements to bring them back safely,” he said.

The students were studying in some of the technology institutes based in Manipur, the release said.

“I have also spoken to Maharashtra chief secretary Manoj Sounik and other state officials to make the necessary arrangements. We are currently watching the situation closely,” the CM said.

Life started limping back to normalcy under the watchful eyes of Army drones and helicopters deployed for aerial reconnaissance as curfew was relaxed on Sunday in parts of Manipur which witnessed bloody ethnic rioting over the last few days.

People were seen coming out in large numbers to buy food, medicines, and other essential commodities during the curfew relaxation period from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. in riot-affected Churachandpur town.

Army and Assam Rifles columns conducted a flag march through the town as soon as the curfew relaxation ended at 10 a.m. In all, 120–125 Army columns have been deployed in the entire riot-hit state.

Sources said some 10,000 soldiers, paramilitary, and Central police forces have been deployed in Manipur.

Congress urges Centre to ensure safety of Malayalees

A day after an apex body of the Catholic Church in Kerala condemned the alleged ethnic violence in Manipur, the Opposition Congress on Sunday voiced concern about the tragic events there and urged the BJP-ruled Centre to ensure the safety of Malayalees stranded in the north-eastern state.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly and Congress leader V.D. Satheesan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to ensure Malayalees stuck in Manipur are safe and to help them return to Kerala.

In the letter, Mr. Satheesan also raised concerns about “the tragic events of vandalism of Christian churches and persecution of members of the Christian community in the state of Manipur.”

He contended that the north-eastern state was peacefully administered by the Congress when it was in power there, and now it has allegedly been transformed into a “hotbed of intense sectarian conflict.”

Mr. Satheesan wrote, “Many people have died, and many more have fled to other states in fear of persecution. Churches have been ransacked and set ablaze in places like Checkon, New Lambulane, Sangaiprou, and Game village.”

He added, “There is extreme communal tension and insecurity among the Christian population in the state. It has been learned that the violence is spreading to other parts of the country and would need the urgent intervention of the concerned governments to curb its spread.”

He said that the atrocities came to light after world-renowned boxer Mary Kom expressed concern over the communal violence engulfing Manipur.

Manipur has been simmering since February, when the incumbent administration initiated an eviction campaign aimed at a certain tribal minority, Mr. Satheesan said.

Terming the violence as “unfortunate,” he said the state and Central governments, which were expected to protect the fundamental rights of life and religious freedom, “have become quiet spectators” to the violence.

“It’s heart-breaking to see our Christian brothers and sisters being persecuted in the name of religion in Manipur,” he added.

“I request your urgent intervention to diffuse the existing communal tension in the state and to prevent the persecution of members of the Christian community and vandalism of Christian churches in the state of Manipur,” Mr. Satheesan said.

A day earlier, the Kerala Catholic Bishop Council, the apex body of the Catholic Church in the state, strongly condemned the ethnic violence in Manipur and urged the Union government to take necessary steps to restore peace in the north-eastern state.

The death toll in the ethnic violence which has engulfed Manipur increased to 54, officials said on Saturday. However, unofficially, sources placed the toll at over a hundred and the number of injured at nearly 200.

Sikkim rescues 128 stranded students

A total of 128 students of Sikkim were rescued from violence-hit Manipur who were being brought back to the state on Sunday, officials said.

The stranded students were first brought to Kolkata on flights arranged by the state government from Imphal. From Kolkata, they boarded buses for Siliguri in northern West Bengal.

From Siliguri, they will be brought to the state capital Gangtok by SNT buses.

A doctor from Sikkim, who was posted in a far-off area in Manipur, was also safely brought back, the officials said.

Chief secretary V.B. Pathak led the “Operation Gurans” to bring back the students.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang was constantly monitoring the situation and took stock of the safety and security of the students, the officials said.

Sikkim worked with the Manipur government for the safe passage of the students from their respective hostels to the airport, they added.

Sikkim extended gratitude to Manipur for ensuring the safe return of the students.

Rajasthan CM expresses concern over safety of stranded students

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday expressed concerns over the safety of students from the state stranded in violence-hit Manipur.

Mr. Gehlot, however, said top officials of his government are in touch with officials in the north-eastern state. “The news of some students of Rajasthan being trapped in Manipur violence is worrying,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

“The chief secretary and the director general of police of Rajasthan are in touch with senior officials there and soon efforts will be made to bring them home safely,” the Chief Minister added.

Inputs from PTI