Even as ethnic clashes raging Manipur and situation appeared uncontrollable centre decided to send former Tripura ADGP Rajiv Singh to the burning state to bring normalcy. The decision came within hours of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state for on-the-spot review. He will take charge immediately.
It is believed that Rajiv Singh’s appointment came as the direction of Union Home Minister Amit Shah considering his long experience in militancy torn Tripura right from the time of his first posting. Singh had been presently posted as Director Fire and Emergency Service and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) of Tripura, is currently the Inspector General of CRPF.
Rajiv Singh replaced P Doungel, a 1987 batch IPS officer of Manipur cadre. Doungal was posted in the newly-created post of Officer-on-Special Duty (OSD) in the Home Department.
Soon after the violence broke out, the central government had appointed former chief of the Central Reserve Police Force and retired IPS Kuldiep Singh as a security adviser to the Manipur government.
Sources said, an official order of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms stated ‘the Governor of Manipur is pleased to order that Rajiv Singh, a 1993 batch IPS officer of Tripura cadre should take charge of the post of DGP, Manipur from P. Doungel immediately upon joining the state government’.
Singh had vast experience in anti -militancy operations in Tripura as well as Maoist problems in Jharkhand also as he had once been posted as the CRPF’ IG of that region. Besides he had also served in strife torn Kosovo as an UN peace keeping officer when those areas were up flames.
A cricket buff Singh also served as a senior official of the CBI.
His appointment came as Manipur had been witnessing unprecedented ethnic violence since May 3 that claimed at least 80 people and left over 300 injured. Due to this violence- arson and rampaging around 2,000 houses, including huge number of government and private properties and a large number of vehicles had also been detroyed.
The violence broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in 11 hill districts by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Earlier, tension was beig mounted as the Manipur government evicted Kuki villagers from reserve forest land.
Earler, Amit Shah, Union Home Minister,said that the Central government would strictly monitor the activities of militant groups under Suspension of Operation (SoO) Agreement and take strong action against any violation of the Agreement. He also said he discussed several ways with the stakeholders to bring positive change and restore peace and normalcy in Manipur. He also announced that CBI probe to investigate ‘five criminal conspiracies and one general conspiracy behind the violence in Manipur’. Rajiv Singh was also a senior official of the CBI for a long period.
