IMPHAL, 31 Jul: The Manipur government has resumed the process of collecting biometric details of identified illegal immigrants in the state, an official said on Monday.
“We have identified around 2,500 of illegal immigrants in the state, majority of whom are currently in Tengnoupal and Chandel districts which share border with Myanmar,” Home Joint Secretary Peter Salam told PTI.
“The state government had started the identification process earlier, but it came to a halt after violence broke out in May,” Salam said, adding that “illegal immigrants arrested in Churachand-pur district have been kept in the
Foreigners Detention Centre and Sajiwa jail in Imphal East district and Imphal jail in Imphal West district.”
“In all, 104 inmates are in the Foreigners Detention Centre, 60 in Sajiwa jail and 70 in Imphal jail,” Salam said.
Officials said that, “of the 104 illegal Myanmarese inmates, 74 are males, 24 women and six minors as on Monday.”
“Collecting biometric details is a time-consuming process as we encounter language and security-related issues,” Salam said.
“Officials had previously experienced problems because of non-cooperation by the illegal immigrants. However, after they were assured that they won’t be persecuted, the illegal immigrants gradually became approachable,” Salam said.
“Their details will be sent to the Election Commission of India and the Unique Identification Authority of India to prevent them from voting,” Salam said.
“Officials of the National Crime Records Bureau deputed by the union home ministry and state home department are assisting state police officials and others to collect the biometric details,” Salam said.
“The campaign is being earnestly taken up and the target is to complete it by September. We would have identified more illegal immigrants if there was no violence,” he said.
Last week, the state government had said that at least 718 Myanmar nationals, including 301 children, have illegally entered the northeastern state.
A statement issued by the home department said that illegal influx was reported on 22 and 23 July in Chandel district by the Assam Rifles, the India-Myanmar border guarding force.
Manipur shares a 398-km-long porous border with Myanmar. Chins, who share ethnic ties with Kukis of Manipur, reside on the Myanmar side. (PTI)
