Manipur continues to crackdown on illegal immigrants

Imphal, Aug 31 (IANS) Manipur Home Minister G. Gaikhangam Friday said the crackdown to detect illegal Bangladeshi and Myanmarese nationals would continue in the state.

On Thursday, Manipur police arrested 43 illegal immigrants - 19 Myanmerese and 24 Bangladeshi nationals - from Imphal and neighbouring Thoubal district.

Over 300 other suspects are still being interrogated at camp of the 2nd Manipur Rifles, a police official said.

"Yesterday's (Thursday) crackdown against the illegal immigrants in Manipur was the beginning and Manipur police would continue with the operation to detect illegal immigrants," Gaikhangam told IANS.

Cautioning the people not to provide shelter to foreign nationals, the home minister said the government will also take action against those who are sheltering the illegal immigrants.

"It is a sensitive issue (illegal immigrants) and the government will not allow any illegal immigrant to settle in Manipur," Gaikhangam said.

Moreover, he said that all police stations, especially at the three entry points - Mao Gate (Manipur-Nagaland border), Jiribam (Manipur- Assam) and Moreh (India-Myanmar) has been put on alert to detect illegal immigrants.

Manipur shares its border with Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west and Myanmar to the east.

Following pressure from civil society groups, the Manipur assembly July 13 adopted a resolution urging the central government to extend the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, to the state to check the influx of suspected Bangladeshi and Myanmarese nationals.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order-I) L. Kailun said the verification of other suspected illegal immigrants is on at camp of the 2nd Manipur Rifles.

"The verification process is on and so with the crackdown to flush out illegal immigrants residing in certain parts of the state," Kailun said.

He said the forty three illegal immigrants arrested Thursday have been booked under the Foreigners' Act.