Expert Anti-Terror Cop Rakesh Balwal Prematurely 'Repatriated' Amid Manipur Violence

New Delhi: Following a fresh bout of violence that erupted in Manipur on Wednesday, the Centre has “prematurely” repatriated Srinagar SSP Rakesh Balwal to his parent cadre.

The 2012 batch Indian Police Service officer, who was shifted to the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union territory (AGMUT) cadre in December 2021, will be assigned a new posting in Manipur upon his joining the state. Clashes between the majority Meitei and the tribal Kuki communities have engulfed the Northeast state since May this year.

According to an order issued by the ministry of home affairs, Mr Balwal has been prematurely transferred from the AGMUT cadre to his parent state. The IPS officer of the Manipur cadre took charge as SSP Srinagar in late 2021.

Having expertise in handling terror-related cases, Mr Balwal, who is a resident of Udhampur in the Jammu region, has served in the Manipur police in various capacities, with the last being senior superintendent of police in Churachandpur in 2017. He has also served in the Thobal and Imphal districts.

Mr Balwal was on deputation to the NIA for three-and-half years as superintendent of police and was a member of the probe team that investigated the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives.

In Manipur, more than 180 people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic violence broke out on May 3, when a "Tribal Solidarity March" was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for ST status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley, while tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

Violent protests continued to rock Manipur's capital for the second consecutive day on Wednesday as Union home minister Amit Shah assured chief minister N. Biren Singh of quick action in dealing with the culprits responsible for kidnapping and killing two youths.

A curfew was also re-imposed in two districts of east and west Imphal as the Biren Singh government combated violent protests that saw 65 demonstrators get injured over two days.

A fresh bout of violence, this time led by students, broke out in the state capital on Tuesday after photos of the bodies of two youths missing since July went viral on social media.

Violent protests continued till the early hours of Thursday, with a mob vandalising the deputy commissioner's office in Imphal West and torching two four-wheelers, officials said.

On Wednesday night, the protesters clashed with security personnel in the Uripok, Yaiskul, Sagolband and Tera areas, prompting the forces to fire several rounds of tear gas shells to control the situation, they said.