Imphal, 22 June (MTNews): In a distressing incident in Manipur’s Imphal West district, two soldiers were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them at North Boljang early on Thursday morning. According to PTI, the incident occurred at around 5 a.m., leaving the soldiers with minor injuries. The security forces conducting an initial search recovered an INSAS light machine gun at the scene.
Authorities have stated that the situation is now under control and efforts underway to locate and apprehend the assailants. Additional Army units have been deployed, and combing operations are currently ongoing to track down the gunmen responsible for the attack.
Earlier, on Wednesday evening (21 June), the sound of automatic small arms fire was heard near Urangpat, located north of YKPI in Imphal East district at approximately 5:45 p.m. In another separate incident, unidentified gunmen fired unprovoked shots from two directions towards Harothel around 5:30 p.m. However, the situation was quickly brought under control by 7:30 p.m., as per sources.
Meanwhile, women activists staged blockades at multiple locations along the Sawonbung-YKPI road on Wednesday, adding to the ongoing tensions in the region.
The prevailing crisis in Manipur has prompted the state government to invoke riot-relief measures provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). These measures enable banks to restructure loans with a minimum one-year moratorium and grant consumption loans, among other provisions. The state government’s notification states that the governor has declared the riots to have had a significant impact on economic activities and the livelihoods of the majority of the population, necessitating the implementation of relief measures under the RBI’s guidelines for areas affected by riots and disturbances.
According to the RBI norms, short-term crop loans can be restructured for borrowers affected by the riots, with a maximum repayment period of two years, including a one-year moratorium, in cases where losses range from 33 to 50 percent. If the crop loss exceeds 50 percent, the repayment period may be extended up to a maximum of five years, including the moratorium period. In such cases, the restructured portion of the loans will not be classified as non-performing assets.
Furthermore, banks are not required to demand additional collateral security for the restructured loans. The responsibility of identifying genuine beneficiaries in the event of large-scale riots lies with the banks, as stated in the RBI guidelines. Additionally, banks have the authority to provide consumption loans up to Rs 10,000 to existing borrowers without the need for collateral. The bank may consider extending the limit beyond Rs 10,000 at its discretion.
The Manipur government’s decision to invoke these measures aims to mitigate the financial impact of the ongoing crisis and provide relief to the affected individuals and businesses.
The situation in Manipur remains tense as security forces intensify their efforts to bring stability and locate the perpetrators of these acts of violence.