The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has constituted a special investigation team (SIT), under a DIG-rank officer, to probe cases related to ethnic violence in Manipur that claimed close to 100 lives, news agency PTI said quoting officials.
The SIT will comprise 10 officers, who will investigate six FIRs (first information reports) which have now been re-registered by the CBI. Union home minister Amit Shah had announced the CBI probe during his visit to the violence-hit state last week.
“Acting on a reference from the state routed through the Centre, the CBI has formed the SIT and taken over the investigation in the cases,” officials told the news agency.
Shah – who had met civil society members, intellectuals, tribal leaders, among others in the Churachandrapur district – told them reportedly that CBI will take up select cases with no involvement of the state government officials.
Violence hit the northeastern state after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. About 100 people lost their lives in the resulting violence, and several people were displaced.
According to an official statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the number of injured stands at 310, and the number of arson cases at 4,104. A total of 3,734 FIRs have been registered, with Imphal West district registering the highest number of FIRs at 1,257, followed by 932 FIRs in Kangpokpi, and 844 in Bishnupur, the statement added.