Bangladeshi nationals arrested, minorities detained in Manipur

Imphal, Aug 31 : At least 43 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested and over 300 minorities rounded up today during a massive combing operation in Manipur's Thoubal and Imphal East districts, police sources said. The combing operations since the early hours at minority-dominated Lilong area in Thoubal district and Hatta area in Imphal East district under the supervision of Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) L Kailun followed reports of movement of armed ultras, the sources said. The 43 Bangladeshis who included women and small children and entered the state in the last 15 days or between 2 to 10 years, were arrested, the sources said. Some of the Bangladeshi nationals had married Manipuri Muslim girls and had children, they said. A senior police officials said most of the arrested Bangladeshis told interrogators that they entered Manipur for a livelihood as they earned only Rs 2 or Rs.3 per day in their homeland. Also rounded up were over 300 minorities from West Bengal, Silchar in Assam and Bihar from Lilong and Hatta areas during the combing, the sources said. The minorities who entered Manipur from Indian states would be subjected to verification, they said. They said that the Bangladeshis as well as the minorities from other Indian states were being kept at the ground of the 2nd Maniur Rifles battalion here. Official and civil organisation sources said that many outsiders including illegal migrants might have infiltrated into Manipur following the recent violence in lower Assam, but exact figures would be known only after verification.