Manipur shaken

The earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale that rocked the Northeast on Monday morning was literally a shocking beginning to the New Year for the region. Manipur, where the quake was epicentred, bore the maximum brunt. For once, the deployment of security forces in the Northeast will come in handy for providing immediate relief. It is important that the state government remains vigilant for 24 hours anticipating aftershocks. The Northeast is a tinderbox of emotions and a natural tragedy can be exploited by separatists to fan public anger against the authorities.

Robin Singh

Patna