Imphal, Oct 22 (IANS): Three Myanmar nationals were arrested from border town Moreh in Manipur's Tamenglong district for stealing furniture and other items from houses that were torched during the ethnic violence, which broke out in the state on May 3, officials said.

Officials said that Manipur Police commandos and police personnel, during routine patrolling in Moreh town, apprehended Aung Mae, 30, Aung Aung, 25, and Khamkhenthang Guite, 25, who are residents of Myanmar’s Tamu and Namphalong Sawbua areas.

Moreh town along the Myanmar border is a big trading location and inhabited by people of different communities.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in a post on X said: "The trio is suspected of stealing furniture items/electric generators from the houses which were burnt down during the recent clashes. They were handed over to the Moreh Police station for thorough verification. This happened when some particular organisations were objecting and protesting against the deployment of state police and commandos at Moreh town."

It is apparent that these organisations do not want the presence of state forces in Moreh so that many of such Myanmarese can be brought into the country, he claimed, adding that the state government cannot keep silent on such an alarming issue of illegal migration.

Various tribal organisations occasionally opposed and condemned the deployment of additional state forces in the border town and tribal dominated areas, where mostly central forces have been deployed.

The Manipur government often said that Myanmar nationals often entered into the state illegally and remained involved in various illegal and hostile activities. Manipur shares around 400 km unfenced border with Myanmar.