The Union home ministry has ordered stepping up the security of Thuingaleng Muivah, secretary general of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim, following death threats from his rival group NSCN (Khaplang).
Muivah is in New Delhi to hold talks with the government of India for resolution of the Naga insurgency problem.
The death threat was sent to mediapersons by SMS by Khaplang followers who claimed that over 250 Naga insurgents would kill the underground leader if he tried to visit the state during Christmas.
Followers of Muivah dismissed the threat as a publicity stunt, and threatened to teach a lesson to anyone who tried to even touch their leader.
The decision to upgrade Muivah's security was taken after the Union government decided to bring the security of Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of United Progressive Alliance, at par with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's, following intercepts by the Intelligence Bureau from terrorist groups based in Pakistan in collaboration with Al Qaeda.
Union Home Secretary V K Duggal will visit Manipur on January 3, 2007, to take stock of the law and order situation as Manipur is going to hold National Games from Feburary 7-19, 2007.
Duggal will also report to the Election Commission about the ground situation as Manipur is scheduled to elect a new Assembly shortly.
Duggal will talk to the police, paramilitary forces, local chiefs and the state officials about whether Muivah's presence would create problems in the four Naga-dominated states during elections in Manipur.
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