In continuation of the ongoing identification and deportation of illegal immigrants from Manipur, the state government announced a total of 5,457 illegal immigrants have been detected in Kamjong district as on Wednesday.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh posted on X along with a caption that read, “5457 illegal immigrants detected, biometric data of 5173 of them have been registered.
The government has detected a total of 5,457 illegal immigrants in Kamjong district, Manipur as on May 7, 2024. Out of the total, the biometric data of 5,173 such illegal immigrants have been collected so far.
Deportation process is underway. We have been giving humanitarian aides to all the illegal immigrants who were detected so far. Despite being an alarming situation, we have been handling it with utmost sensitivity.” (sic).
In a release issued by the state Home department in July, 2023, it was announced that the Manipur state government resumed its campaign for biometric capture of all illegal immigrants in the state from July 20, 2023.
It was also stated that the campaign will continue in all districts until the biometric data of all illegal Myanmar immigrants in the state are successfully captured.
In the first phase, a total of 77 illegal immigrants were deported to Myanmar while one Indian national was also brought back into the country from Myanmar during a handing over ceremony conducted on May 2.
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also stated that to control the influx of illegal immigrants and drugs trafficking, the pending Indo-Myanmar border fencing work of entire North eastern states will be resumed.
It may be mentioned that Manipur has a 390 km long border with Myanmar. Out of the total border length, only a distance of 10 km have been fenced so far.
In connection with the ongoing clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities, it was reported last year that there is a suspicion of involvement of armed ‘Lungi clad’ individuals from Myanmar. Clips of some lungi clad persons holding sophisticated weapons were also circulated on social media.
On the parliamentary floor, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had informed that the crisis of Manipur is due to external aggression.
