Manipur: CM Y Khemchand Appeals For Peace; Centre Deputes Mukesh Singh As Police Chief.

Imphal; May 2026: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh today (Friday – 22nd May 2026) appealed to the people of the state not to resort to bandhs and blockades, stressing that such protests severely affect daily wage earners and worsen the economic difficulties already faced by the state amid the ongoing unrest.

The chief minister made the remarks while inaugurating an RCC bridge over the Nambul River at Akham Mayai Leikai in Imphal West district under the Lamsang Assembly Constituency. Addressing the gathering, Singh urged citizens to come forward for dialogue and resolve differences through mutual understanding instead of disruptive protests and shutdowns. “Enforcing bandhs and blockades out of anger toward the government only leads to hardship, particularly for the daily wage earners”, CM Singh said during the event.

The Chief Minister noted that repeated shutdowns and road blockades have affected normal life, disrupted transportation and weakened economic activities across the state. Speaking about the prevailing situation in Manipur, Singh referred to his recent visits to violence-affected Jiribam district. He said he had travelled there twice: first by helicopter and later by road, and has interacted with members of different communities, including Kuki, Paite, Hmar and Meitei groups.

According to the Chief Minister, people from different communities gathered together at the grassroots level during his visit and interacted peacefully. “All are having cordial relations”, CM Singh said, while emphasising the importance of maintaining communal harmony and avoiding further escalation of tensions.

He also recalled the bomb attack at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district in April, in which 02 children have lost their lives. The incident, he said, caused deep grief across the state and led to economic disruptions due to the shutdowns and bandhs that followed. “The incident caused disruptions to the economy of the state due to shutdowns and bandhs”, he added.

Appealing for restraint, the Chief Minister urged people to address frustrations or anger toward the government through talks and constructive engagement rather than actions that adversely affect ordinary citizens. Later, in a social media post, the CM has said the newly inaugurated RCC bridge would improve connectivity between key areas, facilitate the movement of people and goods, strengthen local markets and contribute to economic growth and inclusive development.

He reiterated that the state government remains committed to enhancing road connectivity and building quality infrastructure for the welfare and progress of the people of Manipur. The inauguration programme was attended by Lamsang MLA S. Rajen Singh, local leaders and government officials.
While mitigating both the rising ethnic violence, alongwith deteriorating law & order situation – The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the inter-cadre deputation of senior IPS officer Mukesh Singh from the AGMUT cadre to the Manipur cadre for a period of three years, amid indications that he is likely to be appointed as the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Manipur.

According to an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the deputation was approved following a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The order stated that the deputation was cleared in relaxation of the standard inter-cadre deputation conditions. The Centre also waived the mandatory “cooling off” period after central deputation as a special case in public interest.

Mukesh Singh is a 1996-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre and has earlier served in Manipur Police in several important capacities, including as Inspector General of Police (IGP-Law and Order) and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). He has also handled key security and intelligence assignments during his service career. Sources indicated that Mukesh Singh is most likely to be appointed as the next DGP of Manipur following the transfer of current DGP Rajiv Singh, who has been appointed as Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat by the Government of India.

Rajiv Singh, a 1993-batch IPS officer of the Tripura cadre, had been serving as the DGP of Manipur since June 01st, 2023, during a period marked by prolonged ethnic unrest and security concerns in the state.

Officials believe Mukesh Singh’s previous experience in Manipur and his familiarity with the state’s security dynamics could play a significant role in strengthening policing, coordination and law-and-order management amid the continuing challenges in the state.

The official notification approving the deputation was issued by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions on May 21, 2026. An official announcement regarding Mukesh Singh’s formal appointment as DGP of Manipur is still awaited.

Team Maverick.