Centre rushes more forces to Imphal after crisis meet

The Centre ordered deployment of 50 additional companies of paramilitary forces - approximately 6,500 personnel - to Manipur on Monday as the ethnic conflict showed no signs of abating, with Union home minister Amit Shah holding a second emergency meeting in as many days to tackle the spiraling crisis in the northeastern state.

- Prawesh Lama and Thomas Ngangom

The massive security dispatch - which will be in addition to the 40,000 central reinforcement already in the state came on a day the body of a 25-year-old woman was recovered from the Barak River in Assam, marking a grim end to the search for six members of a Meitei family abducted on November 11. Fresh violence late on Sunday also claimed another life when police opened fire on protesters demonstrating against the brutal killings.

"The home minister reviewed the current deployment of central armed paramilitary forces, and the action taken by police and paramilitary forces to quell the violence. The home minister has asked the forces and police to ensure peace and order," said an official familiar with the discussions at Shah's residence, where he met senior officials from security forces, home ministry and Intelligence Bureau.

On Monday, fishermen in Lakhipur found the body of Laishram Heitombi Devi, who was the last missing member of the family after five other bodies, including those of two children, were recovered over the past week. Their deaths are one of the central incidents in a cycle of violence and reprisal attacks that have flared up afresh between the Kuki and Meitei communities.