Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said 22 students from the State currently stuck in riot-hit Manipur will be first shifted to Assam from where a special flight will be arranged to bring them back home.
As many as 14 of them have been shifted to the Shiv Sena office in Manipur, the CM’s office said in a statement.
Violent clashes broke out recently between tribals and members of the majority Meitei community in the north-eastern state of Manipur, which has so far displaced more than 13,000 people and killed at least 54. The clashes broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in 10 hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
In the statement, CM Shinde said his government was keeping a watch on the situation in Manipur. His deputy Devendra Fadnavis also promised help to the affected students.
“There are 22 students (in Manipur) from Maharashtra. I have spoken to two of them - Vikash Sharma and Tushar Awhad - and assured them of arranging a special flight to return home. I told them not to be afraid of anything, the state is making all the necessary arrangements to bring them back safely,” he said.