Allegedly operating from a Meitei-dominated zone inaccessible to Kuki-Zo residents, the DC’s move has triggered fears of administrative collapse and civil unrest. Calls for his replacement are gaining momentum.
BY PC Bureau
July 27, 2025: Fresh tension is building in Manipur’s hill district of Tengnoupal after the district’s elected representative, MLA Letpao Haokip, wrote a formal complaint to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, alleging that the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Tengnoupal, Saurabh Yadav, has abandoned his official headquarters and continues to operate from a Meitei-dominated area, Kakching Lamkhai, despite repeated public appeals and the heightened ethnic sensitivities following last year’s violence.
In his official letter dated July 25, Haokip accused the DC of violating administrative norms and endangering public service delivery by not attending his post at the official district headquarters. “He usually functions in a village bordering Kakching District avoiding public interests,” the MLA wrote, referring to the DC’s operations from a rented house in Kakching Lamkhai. The location, according to Haokip and local villagers, is effectively inaccessible to the Kuki-Zo public, due to ongoing ethnic hostilities with the Meitei community.
Kuki-Zo Communities: “We Cannot Risk Our Lives”
Civil society leaders and villagers from Tengnoupal have echoed the MLA’s concerns, citing multiple cases of violence in and around Kakching Lamkhai. A widely shared complaint alleges that two Kuki boys from Tengnoupal were abducted near Kakching Lamkhai in July 2023 and have not been seen since. Given such incidents, residents say it’s impossible for them to safely access government services now being offered from a hostile territory.
Manipur : MLA Letpao Haokip writes to Governor @BhallaAjay26 about Tengnoupal DC’s absence from district HQ. While functions are held in a village bordering Kakching District sparking concerns over public service. @IPS_Association @IASassociation @artrac_ia @SpokespersonMoD @ANI pic.twitter.com/p4zhAyutpb
— Neng Khongsai KUKI (@KhongsaiChanu) July 26, 2025
In numerous posts on X, villagers asserted that this was not just about dereliction of duty—but it’s a life-and-death matter for them. “Our DC is supposed to be stationed at the district headquarters, not in a Meitei stronghold where we can’t even go to file documents without fear of being attacked,” one post read.
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Despite “numerous complaints from the public,” as cited in Haokip’s letter, no corrective action has been taken for over a year. In an appeal posted on X to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Association and Governor Bhalla, the affected villagers questioned whether it is “ethical or professional for an IAS officer to function from a place where the concerned public cannot set foot.”
“Despite Numerous Complains from public he has paid no heed and continue to function from Kakching Lamkhai far far away from his place of posting. Public and Poor Affected Villagers of Tengnoupal District humbly appeal to the @IASassociation and Honourable Governor @BhallaAjay26 to please kindly look into this matter, if this is ethical or Professional for an IAS officer? where poor Affected Villagers cannot avail the service of the District Administration,”the appeal read.
🆘 From the Affected People of Tengnoupal District
The @DCTengnoupal Saurabh Yadav as a Deputy Commissioner of Tengnoupal District, a very sensitive place in the current conflict, where many people from this district have been killed by meiteis police cdos and…
— Missypong2 Haokipp (@MHaokipp85232) July 26, 2025
Tensions in the region remain volatile, and this issue risks snowballing into a larger protest movement if not addressed promptly. Activists warn that the absence of district-level governance in sensitive conflict zones like Tengnoupal could lead to complete administrative breakdown, further alienating tribal communities from state structures.
Political observers suggest this could also have ramifications for peacebuilding efforts in the state. “The government must urgently re-evaluate where and how public officers are posted in conflict-hit zones. Neutrality, access, and security are essential—without them, the state risks losing the trust of its most vulnerable populations,” said a senior Northeast affairs analyst.
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Letpao Haokip has requested immediate intervention from the Governor either to direct DC Saurabh Yadav to return to the official district headquarters or replace him with “another competent officer who could discharge his duties in the interest of the public.”
As of now, the Deputy Commissioner or the state government has not issued any public response.
