The Centre is likely to deploy about 20-22 more companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in violence-hit Manipur after withdrawing these personnel from the security details of Amarnath Yatra, which is coming to a close soon.
These companies will be in addition to the 125 companies of already deployed in the northeastern State since the outbreak of ethnic violence in the first week of May.
A typical CAPF company comprises about 100 personnel. Roughly 20-22 companies of CAPFs, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), will be deployed in Manipur to strengthen the security grid in the State, according to officials.
These units are being withdrawn from Amarnath Yatra duty in Jammu & Kashmir due to the temporary suspension of the Yatra for pilgrims starting Wednesday.”
About 10-15 more companies, deployed for the Amarnath pilgrimage protection duty, could be further moved to Manipur later when the Yatra officially comes to a close on August 31.
Violence in Manipur erupted in early May after a “Tribal Solidarity March” was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The sectarian strife has taken a toll of over 160 persons and injuries to several hundred people from the two communities in Manipur.
About 20 CAPF companies withdrawn from the Amarnath Yatra are also being moved to Delhi for their deployment in the security grid of the September 9-10 G20 Leaders’ Summit being held under India’s presidency here.
On Sunday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had declared that the Amarnath Yatra will remain temporarily suspended from August 23 in view of reduced pilgrim footfall and also for undertaking track restoration work of the path that leads to the cave shrine of Lord Shiva in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
However, the “Chari Mubarak” (the holy mace of Lord Shiva) shall proceed via the traditional Pahalgam route marking the culmination of the Yatra as scheduled on August 31, the administration had said.
Over 140 CAPF companies were deployed for the Amarnath Yatra that began on July 1 on two tracks-- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the shorter 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Paramilitary and Army units already based in the Valley were also part of the security set up for the conduct of the Yatra.
Officials said the paramilitary forces will have a tight deployment schedule over the next few months as an estimated 300 companies will be required to be deployed for the upcoming Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram to be held later this year.
