Ahead of Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s visit to Manipur, Army Chief General N.C. Vij today flew in to take stock of the situation. General Vij announced that the Army had no objection in handing over Kangla Fort — which has been occupied by security forces for more than a century — to the state government. He also assured the people that jawans found guilty of raping and killing Th. Manorama Devi would be dealt with ‘‘most severely’’.Vij held separate meetings with Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh and Governor S.S. Sidhu before meeting officers of the armed forces here.The Apunba Lup — apex body of 32 organisations spearheading the agitation for withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act — today announced a 12-hour general strike on Sunday when Patil arrives here for his maiden visit to the state.A statement issued by the Apunba Lup said there can be no compromise on the withdrawal of the AFSPA — an Act that gives sweeping powers to the armed forces to even kill a person on mere suspicion. The group has also called for a two-hour torch rally in Imphal on Saturday and Sunday evening to protest Patil’s visit.The Home minister will hold separate meetings with CMs of the eight states of the Northeast and with MPs of the region. He is expected to seek suggestions on how to tackle the law and order situation.In Assam too, Patil came in for flak as the Asom Gana Parishad today criticised him for keeping the state out of his schedule. ‘‘There has been a series of violent incidents in which more than 40 people have been killed. Yet, the Union Home Minister did not think it worthwhile to visit Assam,’’ said Sarbananda Sonowal, MP and a secretary of the AGP. The two AGP MPs also announced boycott of Patil’s meeting with the MPs, slated for Saturday in Shillong.Elsewhere in Manipur, bandhs called by local organisations to keep up the agitation affected life today, with Thoubal being the worst-affected. Meanwhile, the Regional Institute of Medical Science has completed the process of collection of blood samples of all 33 Assam Rifles in connection with the Manorama Devi case. The samples are being sent to Kolkata for a DNA test.
