Manipur resumes biometric capture of illegal immigrants

Imphal: The Manipur government has resumed the process of collecting biometric details of identified illegal immigrants in the state, an official said on Monday.

We have identified around 2,500 illegal immigrants in the state, the majority of whom are currently in Tengnoupal and Chandel districts which share border with Myanmar, joint secretary (home) Peter Salam told PTI.

"The state government had started the identification process earlier, but it came to a halt after violence broke out in May," Salam said, adding "Illegal immigrants arrested in Churachandpur district have been kept in the Foreigners Detention Centre and Sajiwa jail in Imphal East district and Imphal jail in Imphal West district." "In all, 104 inmates are in the Foreigners Detention Centre, 60 in Sajiwa jail and 70 in Imphal jail," Salam said.

Officials said, "Of the 104 illegal Myanmarese inmates, 74 are male, 24 women and six minors as on Monday.” "Collecting biometric details is a time-consuming process as we encounter language and security-related issues," Salam said.

"Officials had previously experienced problems because of non-cooperation by the illegal immigrants. However, after they were assured that they won't be persecuted, the illegal immigrants gradually became approachable,” Salam said.

"Their details will be sent to the Election Commission of India and Unique Identification Authority of India to prevent them from voting," Salam said.

"Officials of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) deputed by the Union home ministry and state home department are assisting state police officials and others to collect the biometric details," Salam said.

"The campaign is being earnestly taken up and the target is to complete it by September. We would have identified more illegal immigrants if there was no violence," he said.

Last week, the state government had said at least 718 Myanmar nationals, including 301 children, have illegally entered the northeastern state.

A statement issued by home department said illegal influx was reported on July 22 and 23 in Chandel district by Assam Rifles, the India-Myanmar border guarding force.

Manipur shares a 398-km-long porous border with Myanmar. Chins, who share ethnic ties with Kukis of Manipur, reside on the Myanmar side.