Situation in Manipur will have some impact in Assam: CM Sarma
Sarma confirmed that precautionary measures have been implemented in anticipation of any potential spillover
AT Photo: Violent clashes broke out in Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) between protestors and the police (left) and Assam Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma (right)
Silchar, Dec. 1: In a significant admission, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has finally acknowledged that the ongoing unrest in Manipur, particularly in Jiribam, could affect Assam.
Speaking on Sunday during the inauguration of the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate building in Lakhipur, Silchar, Sarma confirmed that precautionary measures have been implemented in anticipation of any potential spillover.
“I think the situation in Manipur will definitely have some impact in Assam. That is why we have deployed additional police forces in the Barak Valley to ensure that nothing comes to Assam,” he said.
The Chief Minister's remarks follow recent tensions in Assam's Cachar district, where incidents related to the ongoing unrest in Manipur have raised concerns.
Protests erupted on November 14 in Cachar after the bodies of militants killed in Jiribam were brought to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem.
Villagers, including family members of the slain militants, demanded the return of the bodies, heightening tensions in the region.
Further complicating the situation, the recovery of six dead bodies of family members abducted and killed by militants from local water bodies in Cachar had added to the tension in the area.
In addition to addressing the unrest, Sarma also responded to queries about a man from Cachar who went missing in Manipur. "The police have been looking into the matter, and talks are ongoing regarding the issue," Sarma said, when asked if he had raised the matter with the Manipur government.
Notably, a man from Cachar, identified as L Kamal Babu, went missing in an Army camp in Manipur’s Imphal West district on November 25.
Earlier, on November 27, during the inauguration of the International Tourism Mart 2024 in Kaziranga, Sarma had downplayed any direct link between the unrest in Manipur and Assam.
He highlighted that while the two states are “emotionally and culturally connected”, they are geographically distinct and incidents in Manipur should not be directly linked to Assam.
