Imphal, August 21: Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has asserted that the influx of outsiders into the state is a “real and ongoing” challenge, while lauding the Assam Rifles for their efforts in collecting biometrics of illegal entrants from Myanmar.
Singh’s remarks came after Assam Rifles Director General Lt. Gen. Vikas Lakhera revealed at a Manipur University event that the paramilitary force has mapped over 42,000 individuals who crossed into Manipur illegally since December 31, 2024.
“I thank Lt Gen Shri Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, DG Assam Rifles, for confirming that biometrics are being collected from illegal entrants crossing the Indo-Myanmar border. The very need for such a measure underlines an undeniable truth that the influx of outsiders into our region is real and ongoing,” Biren Singh wrote on X.
He further noted that it was “reassuring” that these individuals were being kept under close watch, accommodated at secure locations, and monitored under strict authority. “The message is clear. The Northeast is not blind to what is happening, nor is it leaving anything to chance,” he added.
Addressing the university programme, Lt. Gen. Lakhera confirmed that the collected biometrics have been shared with all agencies. He highlighted that more than 20 battalions of Assam Rifles are currently deployed along the India-Myanmar border and called for greater cooperation from the public to curb illegal immigration.
