Kuki rights body alleges 'premature blame' by Naga bodies in Ukhrul killings case

The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has alleged that the United Naga Council and the Tangkhul Naga Long wrongly attributed responsibility to the Kuki community for the killing of two Tangkhul civilians, even as the case remains under investigation by the National Investigation Agency.

 

In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 22, KOHUR described the allegations as “unfounded and prejudicial”, claiming they could interfere with the ongoing probe and aggravate tensions in the state.

 

The two civilians were killed in an ambush between Tangkhul villages on April 17. KOHUR said assigning responsibility before the conclusion of a formal investigation risks undermining due process and could inflame communal sentiments.

 

The organisation also referred to a separate incident on March 11, in which two Kuki men — Thengin Baite and Kamgoumang Khongsai — were allegedly killed by Tangkhul individuals. It claimed the Kuki community maintained restraint following that incident.

 

According to KOHUR, several steps were taken by the community, including the release of more than 20 civilians held after the March incident at the request of authorities, acceptance of the transfer of the case to the NIA, and the conduct of last rites without unrest.

 

KOHUR further alleged that a three-day shutdown call from April 20 to 23, linked to statements by the UNC and TNL, could provoke civilians and affect the investigation.

 

It said any attempt to mobilise public opinion or assign blame while the NIA probe is ongoing may escalate tensions and hinder justice.

 

Describing itself as a rights body working across communities, KOHUR urged members of the Naga community to avoid what it termed “communal narratives” and appealed for calm among all groups, including Naga and Kuki-Zo communities.

 

The organisation also called on the NIA to carry out an impartial investigation and ensure that those responsible are identified and arrested.

 

“Justice, not blame, is what the grieving families on both sides deserve,” the statement said.