Shah reviews Manipur security, rehabilitation

New Delhi Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday met top officials from the Manipur government to review the security and rehabilitation status of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state , officials aware of the matter said.

The meeting, held in the national Capital, was attended by Manipur governor Ajay Bhalla, security advisor Kuldiep Singh, director general of police Rajiv Singh, and chief secretary Puneet Goel. The meeting precedes February 13, 2026, which marks one year since the imposition of President’s Rule in the state. The region has been gripped by ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo people since May 3, 2023.

Last month, the Manipur government started the rehabilitation process by moving a group of Meitei IDPs to their homes near the buffer zone, adjacent to the hills, where the Kuki-Zo people live. Within 24 hours of the government shifting the first batch, militants from the hills had fired towards the villages to protest the government’s move. Around 50,000 people continue to remain in relief camps across the state.

“The top officials met in Delhi for the detailed security review for Manipur. The officials briefed the minister about the current situation in both the valley and hill areas. The meeting was also held to discuss the way forward for the rehabilitation of the internally displaced people. The government already has a plan to rehabilitate the families and restore normalcy. Security is of utmost importance so the review was conducted,” an official aware of the discussion in the meeting said.

Officials in Manipur, who asked not to be named, said that the government has planned a phase-wise resettlement of the IDPs, classified into three distinct phases. Phase I includes those whose houses were partially damaged, followed by Phase 2, involving those families allotted houses under the PMAY-G scheme. The third phase involves those families who are required to be sent to either the valleys or the hills from where they fled during the start of the violence. The Meitei and Kuki-Zo people are still divided on ethnic lines and live in separate districts.

The government has already released funds to the local district magistrates, who have to rebuild the houses, while security forces will ensure that there is no hindrance from locals.

“A high-level committee headed by the chief secretary, which also includes the police chief along with other officials of the home department, has already been constituted to monitor the rehabilitation,” a second official added.

The strife-torn northeastern state has been under President’s Rule since February 13 after then chief minister N Biren Singh resigned on February 9, following nearly two years of ethnic violence that killed at least 260 people and displaced another 50,000. In December 2024, the Centre had appointed former home secretary Ajay Bhalla as the governor, about two months before President’s Rule was imposed in the state.

The state has largely remained peaceful after the imposition of President’s Rule. In many areas, security forces are still on high alert due to recent developments such as the firing incident at the homes of IDPs who returned to their homes last month and the recent National Green Tribunal order to stop construction of a road built by Kuki-Zo people to connect hill districts such as Churachandpur and Kangpokpi so that they do not have to pass by valleys where the Meiteis live. The road construction has been halted due to environmental concerns and the absence of forest clearance.