Manipur administration issues border alert over fears of illegal migrant influx

In light of escalating concerns over a potential influx of illegal migrants from neighbouring countries facing internal unrest, the Manipur administration has issued a high alert and directed district authorities to tighten surveillance across all international, interstate, and inter-district borders.

An official advisory circulated on Wednesday instructed all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police in the state to "maintain the utmost vigil" and establish a "robust mechanism" to prevent illegal border crossings.

The advisory mandates immediate identification and documentation of any individual detected attempting to enter the state illegally. Authorities have been ordered to capture both biometric and biographic details without delay.

The state administration has clarified that all such migrants must be placed in secure and designated shelters and must not be allowed to mingle with or assimilate into the local population. “Humanitarian aid will be provided, but steps will be taken to ensure that demographic or security concerns are not exacerbated,” the advisory noted.

“All such illegal migrants shall be deported after following due procedures,” the directive added.

To bolster ground-level enforcement, the administration has instructed the formation of District-Level Committees responsible for conducting detailed checks at suspected locations and reviewing the situation regularly. These committees will include police personnel and other relevant stakeholders.

The advisory also calls for stricter monitoring of the existing border pass systems and all exit-entry checkpoints. Deputy Commissioners are expected to closely supervise these systems and coordinate with the police to trace any defaulters or individuals overstaying their permitted durations.

Further strengthening the surveillance framework, a special District-Level Task Force is to be constituted in every district. This task force will be headed by the Additional Superintendent of Police and include a Sub-Deputy Collector from the DC’s office, a representative from central paramilitary forces such as the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, or Central Reserve Police Force, and a biometric staff member for accurate documentation.

A senior official from the Home Department said that the move is a proactive step. “This is a preventive step, not a reactive one. The state does not want to be caught off guard in case the situation across the border deteriorates further,” the official said.

The advisory has been dispatched to all districts for immediate implementation.

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