Police personnel conduct a search operation in Imphal on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Imphal, Jan. 19: Security agencies in Manipur are on high alert to prevent disruption of Republic Day celebrations by militants following strict instructions from Union home minister P. Chidambaram.

Chidambaram had discussed the situation in Manipur in the wake of the end of the Apunba Lup agitation with chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh in Delhi yesterday.

“The home minister yesterday listened to the measures taken by the government and asked the chief minister to take all possible steps to frustrate the militants’ plans. He promised help from the Centre in the government’s efforts to contain militancy,” an official source here said.

Ibobi Singh directed the state home department to put all the security agencies operating in the state on high alert.

The security forces have intensified patrolling and frisking in the state to prevent disruptive activities by militants before or during the Republic Day celebrations and prevent any movement of arms.

Militant outfits call a general strike every year to boycott the Republic Day celebrations and are expected to do the same this year as well.

An army source said the troops and state police commandos had tightened their cordon and intensified search operations, particularly in the valley. This resulted in the killing of a militant by a joint team of police and security forces at Waithou in Thoubal district at 9.30 last night. A 9mm pistol was found on the rebel.

Police commandos have been conducting regular raids here for the past few days to prevent any movement of arms, the source said.

“We received information that militants would lay ambushes and plant bombs, particularly in the valley, before and during the Republic Day celebrations to make their presence felt. We have taken measures to frustrate the plans,” he added.

According to official records, Manipur has more than 30 militant groups, most of them belonging to various ethnic communities. They are fighting for causes ranging from Manipur’s “sovereignty” to protection of their respective ethnic interests.

Only 20 armed groups, 19 of them belonging to tribal communities, have responded positively to the call for peace talks. These groups have signed a suspension of operations agreement with the state government and the Centre and are now constructing designated camps selected by the government.

The Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council-Lallumba) group is now ready to enter the peace deal and talks have been initiated with officials of the state government and security forces.

The United National Liberation Front, the Peoples Liberation Army, the Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and various factions of the Kangleipak Communist Party have not responded to the call for peace talks.