Union Government Deploys 50 Additional CAPF Companies in Manipur amid Escalating Violence

The Union Government on Monday announced the deployment of an additional 50 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), including more than 5,000 personnel, to Manipur in response to a fresh surge of ethnic violence in the state. The deployment will consist of 35 companies from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 15 from the Border Security Force (BSF). This is the second round of central force reinforcement in the state, following recent violence that erupted in the Jiribam district and spread to other areas.

On November 12, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had already sent 20 additional CAPF units—15 from CRPF and 5 from BSF—to assist in restoring order. With Monday's deployment, the total number of CAPF companies in Manipur has risen to 218. The security forces' presence is expected to be adjusted dynamically, depending on the evolving law and order situation in the state.

The latest wave of violence in Manipur has been triggered by the discovery of the bodies of six Meitei individuals, including three women and three children, who had been abducted by militants. In response to the intensifying crisis, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting on Monday to assess the security situation in Manipur. This was the second such meeting convened by Shah in less than 24 hours, following his return to Delhi after canceling campaign rallies in poll-bound Maharashtra.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into three major cases linked to the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur. The first case, filed on November 8 at the Jiribam Police Station, involves the murder of a woman by armed militants. The second case, registered three days later on November 11 at the Borobekra Police Station, concerns an attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) post in Jiribam's Jakuradhor Karong area. The third case, also reported on November 11, involves the burning of homes and the killing of civilians in the Borobekra region. Manipur has been in the grip of intense ethnic violence since May 2023, with the situation worsening in recent months.