Governor Approves Shoot-At-Sight Order In Manipur

Imphal: A shoot-at-sight order has been issued in Manipur in view of escalating violence in the north-east state.

Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Thursday approved the state Home department’s shoot-at-sight proposal.

The Manipur Governor authorised all district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates and executive magistrates/special executive magistrates concerned to issue shoot at sight orders in “extreme cases whereby forms of persuasion, warning, reasonable force, etc had been exhausted under the provisions of law under CrPC, 1973, and the situation cannot be controlled”.

Violence broke out on Wednesday night during the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ called by All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in Churachandpur district’s Torbung. The rally was organised to protest the demand of non-tribal Meiteis for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Tribals and non-tribals clashed, as the violence spread to several other districts.

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Curfew was imposed in eight districts and internet services were suspended in the entire north-eastern state for five days.

A total of 55 columns of the Army and Assam Rifles have been deployed while 14 columns have been kept on standby as the situation worsened.

Around 9,000 people have been rescued so far from violence-hit areas and provided shelter.