IMPHAL, Nov 7 (NNN): Security has been beefed up in Manipur ahead of the Manipur Sangai Festival in an effort to maintain law and order during the annual tourism festival.
As a part of the security measure, police in Imphal West district have been conducting search operations at sensitive areas to flush out anti-social elements in the last few days.
Continuing the operation, a team of police commandos on Monday conducted a cordon and search operation at localities in the vicinity of the Bir Tikendrajit International Airport.
In the operation at Ningombam and its adjoining localities, the police commandos conducted searches in around 75 houses and verified over 115 persons.
During the search, the police picked out two cadres of underground groups on bail. However, there were no reports of picking up any suspects in the operation, the police said.
A senior police officer said that the operation was conducted as a part of security measures to maintain law and order in the district during the festival.
The Manipur Sangai Festival is an annual festival organised by the Tourism department every year from November 21 to 30.
The festival is celebrated to promote Manipur as a world class tourism destination. It showcases the State’s contributions to art and culture, handloom, handicrafts, fine arts, indigenous sports, cuisine, music and adventure sports, as well as the natural environment.
This year, the festival which will be organised after a two years’ gap due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Tourism department is preparing to organise events at as many as 13 places across the State.
The curtain-raiser event of the festival had already been held in Kolkata on October 23. The event was part of the Tourism department’s endeavor to create awareness about the ‘magnificence’ of Manipur, its celebrations and its ecotourism potential.
