Mumbai, May 7: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said 22 students from the state currently stuck in riot-hit Manipur will be first shifted to Assam from where a special flight will be arranged to bring them back home.

As many as 14 of them have been shifted to the Shiv Sena office in Manipur, the CM's office said in a statement. Violent clashes broke out recently between tribals and members of the majority Meitei community in the north-eastern state of Manipur, which has so far displaced more than 13,000 people and killed at least 54.

The clashes broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in 10 hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Manipur Violence: 676 Civilians of Nagaland Safely Evacuated by Security Forces From Imphal.

In the statement, CM Shinde said his government was keeping a watch on the situation in Manipur. His deputy Devendra Fadnavis also promised help to the affected students.

“There are 22 students (in Manipur) from Maharashtra. I have spoken to two of them – Vikash Sharma and Tushar Awhad – and assured them of arranging a special flight to return home. I told them not to be afraid of anything, the state is making all the necessary arrangements to bring them back safely,” he said.

The students were studying in some of the technology institutes based in Manipur, the release said.

“I have also spoken to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Manoj Sounik and other state officials to make the necessary arrangements. We are currently watching the situation closely,” the CM said.

Shinde's office later shared more updates saying he had dialled Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma to discuss providing a safe passage to students from Maharashtra to return home. The students will be shifted to Assam first and from there a special flight will be arranged for them to return home, it said. Shinde has contacted Sarma in this connection, the statement said. The Maharashtra CM has also contacted Shiv Sena's Manipur state head M Tombi Singh over phone and asked him to provide all the necessary help at local level, Shinde's office said.

In the evening, Shinde's office said that 14 students have been moved to the Sena office in Manipur where they were given “food and other necessary things”. “During a phone call, Shinde spoke with the students and inquired about their safety and wellbeing. The students also thanked Shinde for making arrangements on a short notice,” it said in a statement.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Ajit Pawar, who belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), told reporters at Baramati in Pune that he had appealed to the CM and deputy CM to coordinate with the Centre and the Manipur government to facilitate the safe return of the students from Manipur. Fadnavis has also spoken to the students and assured them of making arrangements for their safe return, said a release from his office.

“The situation for last some days has been tense in Manipur and students pursuing their courses in NIT were under pressure. Some students had contacted Fadnavis via SMS. Fadnavis spoke to them over a phone call and assured them of all types of support and help,” it said. Fadnavis, who is also the home minister, has spoken to the director general of police in Manipur and sought security for the students, the release said. Manipur Violence: Central Government Ready for Talks and Settle Issue, Says Union Minister G Kishan Reddy.

“The arrangements are being made, Fadnavis told the students,” it added. Life started limping back to normalcy under the watchful eyes of army drones and helicopters deployed for aerial reconnaissance as curfew was relaxed on Sunday in parts of Manipur which witnessed bloody ethnic rioting over the last few days. In all, 120-125 Army columns have been deployed in the entire riot-hit state. Sources said some 10,000 soldiers, para-military and central police forces have been deployed in Manipur.