IMPHAL, May 21: The Governor of Manipur has constituted a two-member Inquiry Committee to probe the controversial incident involving security personnel and a Manipur State Road Transport (MST) bus carrying journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival. The incident, which occurred on May 20 near the Gwalatabi checkpoint in Imphal East, sparked outrage and led to widespread condemnation across the state.
According to the order issued by Chief Secretary P.K. Singh, the committee will be led by N. Ashok Kumar, Commissioner (Home), and Th. Kirankumar Singh, Secretary (IT). The panel has been tasked with thoroughly examining the facts and circumstances of the incident, identifying any lapses on the part of the authorities involved, and recommending preventive measures to ensure such occurrences do not repeat in the future.
The committee has been given a 15-day timeframe to complete the investigation and submit its report.
The controversy erupted after members of the Indian Army’s MAHAR Regiment allegedly covered the word “Manipur” on the signboard of an MST bus ferrying media personnel for official coverage of the Shirui Festival. The act was widely condemned as an affront to the state’s identity, prompting the media delegation to abort their trip and return to Imphal in protest.
