Assam Rifles files sedition case against Manipur civil society group

The Assam Rifles has taken legal action by registering a sedition and defamation case against the Chief of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a highly influential civil society group in the capital of Manipur. According to a senior defense source, the First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against COCOMI on July 10 after the group called on people "not to surrender weapons."

A police officer confirmed, "We have registered an FIR against COCOMI and its convener, Jitendra Ningomba, at Churachandpur police station under Section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for sedition, and Section 153 A IPC for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc."

Sources also alleged that during an incident in Moirang of Bishnupur on June 30, several women protestors were assaulted by the Army. However, the army has refuted the allegations.

On June 4, COCOMI submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister, demanding the replacement of Assam Rifles with any other central armed police force. The group asserted that local youths were unwilling to surrender their arms. Since May 3, amidst ethnic strife in the state, over 4,000 weapons and lakhs of ammunition have been looted or taken from police armouries. Despite Home Minister Amit Shah's appeal during his visit to the state from May 29 to June 1, only a little over 1,600 weapons have been recovered or surrendered by the public.

Initially, COCOMI was part of the peace committee formed by Governor Anusuiya Uikey in June. However, they refused to participate until action was taken against "narco terrorists and illegal immigrants from Myanmar."

In response to a viral video that emerged on July 19, Manipur police and central forces have bolstered security measures across the state to prevent any potential flare-ups. Police are conducting raids at suspected hideouts to arrest the remaining culprits. So far, six individuals have been apprehended by Manipur Police in connection with the May 4 incident, where two tribal women were paraded in Kangpokpi district of the state.