Imphal/Guwahati
All the 10 Kuki-Zomi-Hmar MLAs, including the eight belonging to the ruling BJP, have levelled some serious allegations against the Manipur police that include molestation of women and assault on the people besides loot and arson of properties belonging to civilians of their community.
“We would like to highlight the continuing excesses and atrocities perpetrated by the State forces against our people in Moreh and other places in Tengnoupal district based on ground reports. That on November 1, 2023, Sinam Kuki Village in Tengnoupal district was attacked and houses and properties/ vehicles destroyed by the Manipur Police commandos,” the MLAs alleged in a joint statement.
“In the operations that are underway at Moreh, the State forces resorted to arson, indiscriminate firing, looting of civilian properties, vehicles, household items, including valuable ornaments/documents/gold/cash and unprovoked brutality forcing common people, including women and children to flee into the nearby jungle,” their statement said.
“Several women have been mercilessly assaulted/molested by the commandos and admitted in the local hospital. The lack of faith that our people have in the state forces stemmed from the innumerable instances of their direct involvement in attacking Kuki-Zomi-Hmar villages during the current conflict,” they said.
Moreh SDPO Chingtham Anand was shot dead by tribal militants on October 31 when he was inspecting the newly constructed helipad at Eastern ground in the border town. Tension had been brewing in Imphal after the killing of the SDPO, belonging to the majority community.
Following the incident, an operation was launched in the area to apprehend the militants. Both the State and central forces have been deployed at Moreh that borders Myanmar.
The MLAs said they have been voicing their concerns over the deployment of Manipur commandos and calling for their removal from Kuki -Zomi-Hmar-dominated districts. But instead, more commandos have been despatched to Moreh that has resulted in fresh disturbances and violence.
“We appeal to the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India), to intervene into the matter at once and ensure withdrawal of all the commandos deployed in Moreh and other Kuki-Zomi-Hmar tribal areas and replace them with neutral central forces. Further, we demand that all erring state police/commando personnel should be booked as per law,” the statement read.
In the meantime, reports about unidentified gunmen firing at least six rounds at the vehicle of Meitei Leepun chief Pramod Singh on Friday morning in Langol area in Imphal West district came in. Singh has slammed the Kuki militants several times for the ongoing unrest in the State. He was not injured in the firing at his vehicle.
Nearly 200 people have been killed since May 3 when the ethnic clashes first erupted following a Tribal Solidarity March against any move to give Meiteis the Scheduled Tribe status.
