Imphal, April 11 Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said on Saturday that efforts are being made to relocate some central forces deployed in the peripheral areas of the valley districts to adjoining hill regions and replace them with state security personnel.
The minister's remarks come in the wake of growing demands from valley-based civil organisations for the replacement of central forces with state personnel, alleging that recent armed and bomb attacks from neighbouring hill areas were not effectively prevented.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme, Konthoujam said, "We are trying to shift some of the central forces from the peripheral valley areas to neighbouring hill areas and replace them with state security forces."
He, however, noted that the transition cannot be carried out immediately due to a shortage of manpower in the state forces, making the process logistically challenging.
Regarding the recent bomb attack at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district, in which two children were killed, Konthoujam said that the investigation is underway.
"At present, we cannot say anything," he added.