The Hmar Inpui and Hmar Women Association accused the state of weaponizing the justice system to deflect attention from atrocities committed against Hmar women in Manipur.
BY PC Bureau
August 2, 2025 — A wave of condemnation has followed the July 31 arrests of two Hmar brothers—Thanglienlal Hmar and Lalrosang Hmar—from Moinathol village in Assam’s Cachar district. The detentions, carried out jointly by the Assam Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), have triggered an outcry from Hmar community organizations, who allege the arrests were arbitrary, discriminatory, and reflective of systemic repression.
In a press communique dated August 1, the Hmar Inpui (Supreme House) of Jiribam expressed “profound shock and dismay” at what it called a blatant miscarriage of justice. The organization defended Thanglienlal Hmar (@Bawia), describing him as an elected church leader, boat driver, and father of eight with no links to any unlawful activity. “He is a humble, hardworking man committed to peace and righteousness,” the statement read.
The Hmar Inpui asserted that the arrests are based on misidentification and flawed investigation, adding that no concrete evidence has been presented linking the accused to any crime. The communique appealed to the NIA to “re-investigate the matter fairly and without bias” and called for the immediate release of the detained men.
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Echoing similar sentiments, the Hmar Women Association (HWA) issued its own press release condemning the arrests as part of a larger pattern of ethnic targeting and judicial overreach. The HWA noted that the brothers—both daily wage laborers—had been implicated in connection to the November 2024 killings in Jiribam, Manipur, but said this was “without justification or proper investigation.”
Manipur : Hmar Inpui strongly condemns the NIA’s arrest of Thanglienlal Hmar, a respected church leader & boat driver, citing misidentification & flawed investigation demanding his release & re-investigation, highlighting the emotional & financial hardship caused to his family. pic.twitter.com/ojG0PaxY6e
— Neng Khongsai KUKI (@KhongsaiChanu) August 2, 2025
“We are witnessing yet another episode of selective justice and state-sanctioned silence around crimes committed against our community,” the HWA declared.
The association criticized the government’s failure to protect Hmar women and girls in the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, referencing incidents of molestation, public humiliation, and murder. It condemned the arrests as an attempt to shift focus away from these atrocities, describing the state’s response as “cruelly misplaced.”
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The HWA demanded:
- The immediate and unconditional release of the Hmar brothers;
- An end to militarized, coercive tactics targeting ethnic minorities;
- A halt to arbitrary arrests that stoke political repression.
Both organizations stressed the humanitarian toll on the families of the arrested men, who now face severe emotional and financial hardship. They urged civil society groups, democratic institutions, and human rights bodies to take note of the unfolding events and ensure fairness, dignity, and accountability.
As tensions simmer in the region and ethnic lines deepen, the Hmar community’s call for justice has taken on broader significance—challenging the integrity of India’s law enforcement and judicial processes in conflict zones.
