NEW DELHI, Nov 25: Amid escalating ethnic violence in Manipur, the Central Government has instructed telecom operators to retain call data records (CDRs) of all residents for five years, according to The Tribune. Normally stored for six months, this extended retention aims to monitor possible connections between local militants and extremists across the Myanmar border.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reportedly issued the directive to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), citing concerns over the recent violence in the state. This decision reflects a need to track activities of armed militants suspected of coordinating with cross-border extremists.
According to The Tribune, the instructions were conveyed during a recent meeting between telecom operators and DoT officials. Retaining CDRs for a longer period is believed to aid in reconstructing timelines of violent incidents and identifying key individuals involved in such activities.
The move comes after a series of violent incidents in Manipur beginning November 7. Armed militants attacked a tribal-dominated village in Jiribam district, where a woman was allegedly raped and burnt to death. On November 11, suspected militants targeted a CRPF camp, resulting in the deaths of 10 attackers. The same day, another group assaulted a relief camp and a police station, abducting six members of a Meitei family, including three women and three children, whose bodies were later discovered along the Assam-Manipur border.
Security sources revealed that the militants involved in these incidents were equipped with sophisticated weapons, raising suspicions of arms supplies from extremist groups in Myanmar.
The violence has triggered widespread protests, including arson attacks on the residences of political leaders. In response, the Centre deployed additional paramilitary forces to maintain order.
The state government has also extended the ban on mobile internet and data services, including VSAT and VPN, in nine districts until November 27.
The extended retention of CDRs is expected to help establish communication links between militants and their cross-border counterparts. Security officials believe this measure is critical for identifying supply chains of arms and the coordination networks of insurgent groups.
Currently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the incidents, focusing on the origin of the weapons and the role of external influences.
