Controversy Arises as Police Bunkers Installed in Imphal City Prompt Meira Paibis to Take Action
CONFLICT
Imphal:In a development in Manipur, police installed new bunkers on Thursday evening in Imphal city and its environs, triggering concerns among locals.
Seeking to address the confusion, the police explained on Friday that these makeshift defensive fortifications were implemented as part of broader security measures to uphold law and order in the capital.
However, Meira Paibis, a group of women vigilantes, expressed apprehension that the bunkers might be employed to suppress the ongoing people’s movement in the ethnic conflict.
Consequently, they dismantled two structures, located in Uripok and Sagolband Tera areas, soon after their installation.
Simultaneously, speculation arose about the possible reinstatement of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) by the Central government in the Imphal valley, linked to the sudden appearance of these bunkers.
A senior police officer clarified that the bunkers were strategically placed to enhance public security, emphasizing that dismantled structures would be reinstalled. He asserted that the presence of new bunkers did not indicate an imminent escalation of violence in Imphal city.