Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday directed authorities to ensure the free movement of people on all roads in Manipur starting March 8, warning of strict action against those creating obstructions.  

The directive was issued during a high-level review meeting at 11 a.m. in the North Block Home Ministry.  

Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla, senior Army officials, and top paramilitary officers attended the meeting, which was the first on the Manipur crisis since the imposition of President’s Rule in the state.  

The primary focus was to restore normalcy and peace in Manipur, which has been grappling with ethnic violence between the Kuki and Meitei communities since May 2023. The state has witnessed nearly two years of unrest, resulting in over 200 deaths.  

According to a statement from the Home Ministry, Shah instructed officials to take strict action against extortion in the state.  

He also directed authorities to expedite work on fencing both sides of the entry points along Manipur’s international border.  

Additionally, a decision was made to dismantle the entire network involved in drug trafficking to make Manipur drug-free.  

The security review followed an ultimatum issued by Governor Bhalla on February 20, urging individuals to surrender illegal and looted weapons.  

In the seven days since the announcement, more than 300 weapons have been surrendered, mainly in the valley districts. Among them, 246 firearms were handed over by the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol.  

This meeting followed another chaired by Amit Shah on Friday regarding the Rohingya and illegal immigration situation in Delhi. He directed Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and the Delhi Police to intensify efforts in identifying and deporting Bangladeshi and Rohingya illegal immigrants, calling them a “threat to national security.”  

ians