Taking action in response to the directives from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Manipur government has officially started the process of collecting biometric data from “illegal" immigrants in the state. The campaign, launched on July 29, 2023, seeks to capture the biometric information of all Myanmar nationals who are residing in Manipur without legal authorization.
Assisting the state officials in this critical endeavour is a team of experts from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), deputed by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The team is actively providing training and guidance throughout the campaign. The data capturing process has been initiated at the Foreigners’ Detention Centre, which is located near Sajiwa jail in Imphal East District.
In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, Kishorjit, the Jailor of the Foreigners’ Detention Centre, revealed that currently, the centre houses 104 inmates, comprising 24 men, 74 women, and six minors. These individuals were found to have crossed over into the Indian Territory in the past couple of years without valid legal documentation.
Kishorjit further shared that the NCRB team recently visited Manipur and conducted comprehensive training sessions for the district police of Imphal East, Imphal West, and Chandel, along with the jail staff.
Subsequently, the trained team has been assigned the crucial task of verifying suspected illegal immigrants apprehended by the police from various locations across the state. The biometric data, along with thorough verification procedures, is being meticulously processed by the trained staff at the Foreigners’ Detention Centre.
The jailor emphasized that the campaign will continue across all districts until the biometric data of all illegal immigrants in Manipur is successfully recorded. The completion target for the biometric data collection process is set for September 2023, in line with the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
This initiative reflects the Manipur government’s commitment to addressing concerns related to “illegal" immigration and aims to bolster the state’s ability to effectively monitor and regulate immigration within its borders.