Nearly 2,000 Manipur Police Recruits Finish Gruelling Course In Assam, Set For High-Risk Deployment

Nearly 2,000 recruits from Manipur have finished intensive training at a top Assam police academy, and will return to serve their home state amid the ongoing challenges, officials have said.

Assam and Manipur Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh attended the passing out ceremony at Lachit Borphukan Police Academy (LBPA) in Assam's Dergaon.

The recruits went through a tough training programme that began in January this year and lasted over 44 weeks.

The academy is known for its rigorous and comprehensive police training programmes.

The training was initially planned for 44 weeks, but it was stretched longer due to a two-week mid-term break in June 2024, after which several recruits returned late.

Despite this, the academy successfully trained 1,946 recruits, with only a few unable to complete the programme due to medical or personal reasons.

Two recruits died during the training period.

This batch of recruits was drawn from nine India Reserve Battalions (IRB) and six Manipur Rifles battalions, reflecting the state's diverse communities, officials said.

The composition of the recruits from the multi-ethnic state included Meiteis (62 per cent), Kukis (12 per cent), Nagas (26 per cent), and other tribes, officials said.

Their training covered a comprehensive curriculum - physical fitness, unarmed combat, disaster management, law and policing, crowd control, and tactical operations.

"The recruits arrived with significant challenges. At least 50 per cent were overweight, including 5 per cent classified as obese, and 31 per cent fell into the 30-40 age group, presenting unique physical demands," an official of the top police academy said.

By the end of the programme, only 5 per cent remained overweight due to chronic medical conditions, a testament to the academy's rigorous training regimen, the official said.

Given Manipur's fragile law and order situation, special emphasis was placed on endurance training, long-distance speed marches, firing proficiency, and advanced unarmed combat techniques to prepare the recruits for high-risk deployments, officials said.

LBPA, known for its stellar training track record over the past two years, has trained nearly 7,000 recruits, equipping them with the skills needed to face complex security challenges, officials said.