Manipur: Kuki MLAs Accuse State Police For Atrocities Against Women

All ten MLAs of the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar community released a joint statement accusing the Manipur Police of molesting women, assaulting innocent civilians, and damaging property in the Tengnoupal district of the State. This comes two days after the killing of a Sub-Divisional Manipur Police officer, Chingtham Anand Kumar, in Moreh in the district. Operations to find and arrest the people responsible behind the killing of the officer, by suspected Kuki militants, are underway in the district.

The MLAs said in their statement that while they condole the killing of the officer in line of duty, they wanted to highlight the brutality of Manipur police in perpetrating atrocities on innocent civilians in the district.

MLAs release statement

In the statement, the MLAs claimed that on November 1st, the Manipur Police officials forced women and children of Sinam Kuki village to flee into the nearby village, while some of the women were brutally assaulted and molested. The statement also claimed that the officials resorted to arson, ransacked property and looted valuables of innocent civilians.

Further, the MLAs stated that in spite of them voicing their concerns in several forums including the Centre since the conflicts took place, disturbances continue to erupt as more commandos are despatched to Moreh.

As per a media report, the district's Superintendent of Police, Luikham Lanmiyo denied that any cases of molestation of women have happened, while admitting that cases of assault and destruction of property have been reported.

The MLAs appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to replace the Manipur Police commandos deployed in Moreh and Kuki tribal areas with 'neutral central forces' and also demanded that the erring state police officers be booked as per law. 

Suggested Reading: Security Tightened After IIT-BHU Woman Faces Molestation On Campus