Amidst the ongoing ethnic tension in Manipur, senior IPS officer Rajiv Singh has been appointed as the new Director General of Police (DGP) for the state, replacing P Doungel. The decision was made through an official order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Rajiv Singh, a 1993-batch IPS officer from the Tripura cadre, has been directed to take charge of the DGP position immediately upon joining the state government, as stated in the order issued by the Governor of Manipur.
On Wednesday, Singh was sent to Manipur on an inter-cadre deputation for a duration of three years. The order from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved Singh’s deputation to the Manipur cadre, citing special circumstances and public interest.
The transfer of DGP comes at a critical time when Manipur is grappling with ethnic conflicts that have resulted in significant violence, with the death toll reaching 80. The recent escalation in clashes and firing between militants and security forces has intensified the situation in the state.
The ethnic tensions originated after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organized on May 3 to protest the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the Meitei community. The violence was preceded by unrest related to the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, leading to a series of smaller agitations.
The appointment of Rajiv Singh as the new DGP aims to bring stability and maintain law and order in Manipur during these challenging times of ethnic unrest.
