Imphal, Sep 7 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, on Monday said that the state government is examining various cases of unlawful and criminal activities involving individuals, in the wake of the ethnic violence that broke out in the state in May 2023.
Taking part in a short duration discussion moved by opposition Congress MLA Kangujam Ranjit Singh in the Manipur Assembly, the Chief Minister said that the unprecedented violence that broke out on May 3, 2023 compelled many youths to take up arms.
“While some of them had good intentions, there could be others who indulge in criminal activities,” he told the House.
Khemchand Singh further said that the state government has not declared Village Volunteers in both hills and valley or ‘Arambai Tenggol’ as banned organisations and the police has not taken up any cases based on their affiliation to these groups.
He added that arrests made by the police are based on individual level criminal activities.
The Chief Minister said that Manipur Police was a very strong force in the past, but its morale has gone down following the unprecedented ethnic crisis that broke out on May 3, 2023. Now, the government is trying to strengthen the police force, he added.
Khemchand Singh, however, said that the state government could not withdraw criminal cases filed against any individuals during the ethnic violence.
The Chief Minister further added that the cases invoked to the individuals will be studied one by one and it will take time.
On the other hand, Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh re-affirm the decision taken by the government in 2024, not to prosecute those individuals who are not involved in heinous crimes such as attack on security forces, extortion, murder, rape or any other criminal activities.
He further added that to save the youths who are not involved in heinous crime is the responsibility of the government.
The Home Minister said that individual cases will be studied by the government. He said that the police do not harass any individuals who are alleged to have been involved in the crisis.
Rejecting the Opposition’s allegation on harassment of youths, Govindas Singh also informed the House that the Chief Minister has already instructed the authorities concerned to release after questioning the individuals who were named in suo-motu cases by different investigating agencies including the NIA, as soon as possible.
–IANS
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