Ahead of PM Modi's likely Manipur visit, 'no drone zone' declared in Churachandpur

Amid speculations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may visit Manipur later this month, 'no drone zone' was declared in Churachandpur district on Thursday.

According to an order issued by District Magistrate Dharun Kumar S, the decision has been taken to strengthen security "during the visit of the VVIP".

"...with a view to ensure and strengthen security during the visit of the VVIP, declare the whole of Churachandpur District as 'NO DRONE ZONE' and do hereby prohibit the flying of any kind of aviation devices including UAV, Drones, balloons etc., except only those approved by Government, in Churachandpur District with immediate effect, until further orders," it said.

"Any violation of this order is punishable by legal action under section 223 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (B.N.S.), 2023 and other relevant provisions of law," it added.

Modi is likely to reach Manipur on September 13 after visiting Mizoram, where he is scheduled to inaugurate a railway project, according to officials in Aizawl.

However, there has been no official confirmation of the visit from New Delhi or Imphal. The Manipur BJP has also not confirmed it officially.

This would be the PM's first visit to Manipur since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023.

Meanwhile, state assembly speaker Thokchom Satyabrata went to Delhi on Thursday.

He was called to Delhi to discuss issues related to the "PM's expected visit" in the second week of September, a BJP functionary close to him told PTI.

The speaker is also likely to meet the party's top brass during the trip to the national capital, he said.

Over 260 people have been killed and thousands left homeless in the clash between Meiteis and Kukis.

The spark for the raging violence was lit by demonstrations by tribal groups against a move to grant the majority Meiteis the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The government in Manipur, regardless of which party comes to power, has always been dominated by plainsmen Meiteis, who account for about 53 per cent of the state's population and live mostly in the irregular oval-shaped Imphal Valley.

Consequently, the government's actions have often been viewed through the prism of suspicion by tribals -- mostly Nagas and Kukis -- who make up 40 per cent of Manipur's population and live for the most part in the hills surrounding the valley.

Churachandpur, which has been declared a 'no drone zone', is the stronghold of the Kuki community and adjacent to Mizoram.