Amit Shah speaks to CMs of states neighbouring violence-hit Manipur

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday spoke to the chief ministers of the states neighbouring Manipur, which has been hit by violence between tribals and the majority Meitei community, officials said.

The central government is closely monitoring the situation in Manipur and paramilitary forces are being mobilised from nearby states, they said.

The home minister has spoken to the chief ministers of the neighbouring states of Manipur in view of the situation in the violence-hit state, officials said.

The chief ministers with whom Shah had telephonic conversations were Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland), Zoramthanga (Mizoram) and Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam).

Clashes broke out in Manipur on Wednesday and they intensified overnight with counter-attacks being mounted by rival communities in retaliation to earlier attacks, after Naga and Kuki tribals organised a "Tribal Solidarity March" to protest the move to give Scheduled Tribe status to the majority Meitei community.

The state government on Thursday issued a "shoot at sight" order in "extreme cases" to contain spiralling violence in the state between tribals and the majority Meitei community which has displaced more than 9,000 people from their villages.