Imphal, March 8: Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat today told the state Assembly today that people had started resisting militancy because realisation has dawned about the nature of their activities.

“There is increasing realisation among the general public about activities of militant organisations. This has raised their willingness to resist,” Jagat said in his 55-minute address to the House on the opening day of the budget session.

He added that now, sit-in protests were promptly held against militant organisations, which kidnapped, killed or indulged in extortion. “There are periodic cases of villagers beating up persons trying to extort money,” he said.

Stating that these were signs of improvement, Jagat said the state was witnessing a turnaround in the law and order situation. The number of civilians killed and injured in militancy-related cases came down from 92 and 117 respectively in the year 2007 to 20 and 53 respectively during last year.

The number of police and security personnel killed also came down from 41 to five during this period.

On the other hand, the number of militants arrested rose from 1,296 to 1,397 and those detained under the National Security Act rose from 145 to 230 during the same period.

The government had also increased police manpower to 24,618 by January this year to effectively deal with militant organisations. “The additional manpower is expected to enable my government to deploy adequate police personnel in the hills and remote rural areas of the valley districts for securing these hitherto under-policed areas,” he said.

Efforts by the government succeeded in moving 18 militant outfits, mostly belonging to the Kuki community, under two umbrella groups under suspension of operation agreements with the government — Kuki National Organisation and United Peoples Front — into 10 designated camps.

Altogether 1,493 cadres were lodged in the designated camps and 709 firearms deposited.

The Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council) Lallumba faction also signed an agreement with the government in August last year to lay down arms.

He said the Centre had decided to hand over the task of making Imphal-Jiribam highway motorable all the year round to the Border Roads Organisation, to tackle the frequent blockades along the highway.

The governor also expressed his happiness over the installation of night landing facilities at Imphal airport and introduction of night flights by Air India.