The women’s front of the National People’s Party, a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally, has written to the Manipur government, seeking the fortification of the police station in Litan area of Ukhrul.

The region saw a fresh wave of violence and arson erupt between the Naga and Kuki-Zo communities in February, days after Yumnam Khemchand Singh was installed as the Chief Minister of the ethnic-conflict-ridden State.

The NPP, which is a part of the Manipur government with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Naga People’s Front, has written to the State Home Minister, saying that a field inspection of the region by its representatives had revealed “significant challenges” confronting law enforcement authorities.

The July 13-dated letter said, “It is evident that Litan police station continues to function under extremely demanding circumstances despite the difficult security environment.”

Flags need for additional support

The NPP has drawn the Manipur government’s attention towards the need for building a “strong and secure” boundary wall around the Litan police station, asked for additional “defensive and surveillance infrastructure”, the deployment of more experienced police officers and trained security personnel, “improved” communication devices, protective gear, vehicles and other equipment, and “strengthening” accommodation for “sustained deployment” of security personnel.

In the letter, the women’s front said that the Litan region had seen repeated instances of inter-community violence, destruction of property, armed confrontation, and prolonged tensions over the past few months. It added that its assessment had revealed the need for “immediate strengthening” of the infrastructure and operational capacity of the law enforcement authorities in the region.