Imphal, May 8 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Wednesday said that till May 7, a total of 5,457 illegal immigrants have been detected and biometric data of 5,173 of them have been collected.

Taking to X, the Chief Minister said that the government has detected a total of 5,457 illegal immigrants in Manipur's Kamjong district as on May 7 and out of 5,457, the biometric data of 5,173 such illegal immigrants have been collected so far.

"Deportation process is underway. We have been giving humanitarian aid to all the illegal immigrants who were detected so far. Despite being an alarming situation, we have been handling it with utmost sensitivity," Biren Singh said.

With the deportation of 38 immigrants from Manipur to Myanmar on May 2, a total of 77 illegal Myanmarese migrants, including 55 women and five children, have been deported to their country since March 8 through the border town of Moreh in Manipur's Tengnoupal district.

A senior Manipur government official said that the first batch of seven Myanmarese was deported on March 8.

The Myanmar nationals fled to Manipur after the military junta seized power in the neighbouring country on February 1, 2021.

Since the military took over Myanmar, over 5,000 Myanmarese nationals, including women and children, have taken shelter in Manipur, while around 34,350 people have taken shelter in Mizoram.

A majority of the refugees in Mizoram live in relief camps and government buildings, while many are accommodated by their relatives.

Numerous Myanmarese also live in rented accommodation.

Following the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Manipur government since last year has been collecting the biometric details of the Myanmar nationals sheltered in the state.

/IANS