Kuki Inpi also demanded the immediate release of 14 Kuki-Zo civilians allegedly being held in Senapati district amid the ongoing ethnic tensions.
BY PC Bureau
May 26: Kuki Inpi Manipur has strongly criticised the arrest of four Kuki-Zo individuals in connection with the alleged disappearance of six Naga civilians, asserting that the Manipur government and security agencies are pursuing a pattern of “selective justice” while failing to act on crimes committed against the Kuki-Zo community.
In a statement issued on Monday, the organisation expressed “deep concern and strong objection” over the arrests, pointing out that no arrests or visible progress had been made in the killing of three Kuki-Zo church leaders who were murdered on May 13.
The organisation said the continued lack of action in the church leaders’ killing had caused “immense pain and anguish” within the Kuki-Zo community, which continues to await justice.
Kuki Inpi Manipur also raised alarm over what it described as the “illegal detention and hostage-taking” of 14 Kuki-Zo civilians allegedly being held under the influence of student bodies and civil society organisations in Senapati district.
According to the organisation, security agencies have conducted extensive combing operations and investigations in Kuki-Zo areas, but there has been little visible effort to investigate the killing of the church leaders or secure the release of the missing Kuki-Zo civilians.
“It is deeply disturbing that the perpetrators involved in the barbaric killings of the church leaders continue to remain at large, while four Kuki-Zo individuals have been arrested on questionable grounds,” the statement said.
The organisation warned that such actions would inevitably be viewed by many in the community as a “gross injustice” and a violation of their rights.
READ: Opinion: Manipur CM Fails to Rise to the Occasion
Calling for equal application of the law, Kuki Inpi Manipur said a democratic government cannot function through “bias, discrimination, and selective silence” toward the suffering of one community while responding swiftly to another.
The organisation urged authorities and investigating agencies to act “fairly, sincerely, and impartially” by ensuring equal justice for all communities involved in the conflict.
It also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the 14 allegedly detained Kuki-Zo civilians and called for those responsible for the killing of the three church leaders to be brought to justice.
The organisation cautioned that arbitrary arrests and selective action during such a sensitive period could further inflame tensions and worsen the already fragile situation in Manipur.
Background
The controversy comes amid growing criticism of the Manipur government’s handling of recent ethnic violence involving Naga and Kuki-Zo communities. While the alleged abduction of six Naga civilians prompted swift security operations, arrests, and an announced National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe, no comparable action has been announced in connection with the killing of three Kuki-Zo church leaders or the reported disappearance of 14 Kuki-Zo civilians.
Critics have accused the administration of Yumnam Khemchand Singh of responding unevenly to cases involving different communities, particularly after a delegation of the United Naga Council met the Chief Minister seeking action over the alleged kidnapping of Naga civilians.
The four arrested men — Thangkhomang Khongsai, Seikholet Khongsai, Lunminthang Dimngel, and Kamgoulal Khongsai — were detained during a joint operation by the Manipur Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Assam Rifles in Kangpokpi district.
Security officials have alleged that the four were linked to armed village volunteer groups and may have been involved in extortion, intimidation, and illegal possession of arms, though their exact role in the alleged abduction case remains under investigation.
