IMPHAL, March 22: A five-member team of Supreme Court judges, headed by Justice B. R. Gavai, visited the camps for those affected by ethnic violence in Manipur’s Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts on Saturday.
The judges met displaced individuals, including men, women, and children, who have been sheltering in relief camps since the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023. Accompanying Justice Gavai were fellow judges Vikram Nath, M.M. Sundresh, K.V. Vishwanathan, and N. Kotiswar Singh, along with Manipur High Court’s Chief Justice D. Krishnakumar and Justice Golmei Gaiphulshilu.
During their visit, the team inaugurated a legal services camp, medical camp, and legal aid clinic in Churachandpur, which is primarily inhabited by tribal communities, from the Mini Secretariat. They also visited the Sadbhavana Mandap relief camp in Churachandpur and the relief camp in Bishnupur, interacting with the displaced residents. The judges then traveled to the Indian National Army (INA) museum at Moirang in Bishnupur, where they paid their respects.
Justice Gavai, who is the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), led the efforts to provide legal aid and medical support to the affected communities. Earlier in the day, senior lawyers from Manipur welcomed the Supreme Court judges at the Imphal airport. The team is scheduled to attend the 12th-anniversary celebration of the Manipur High Court on Sunday.
In related news, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla inaugurated several infrastructure and innovation projects at the College of Agriculture at Iroisemba, including a new girls’ hostel and Type-IV staff quarters. He also visited the College of Food Technology at Lamphelpat, inspecting the Biofloc Unit and Food Processing Pilot Plant, and interacted with students and officials at the Technology and Machinery Demonstration Mela-2024-25 exhibition.
