Manipur: CoTU withdraws ultimatum after assurance of NIA probe into killing of two Kuki-Zo villagers in state

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has withdrawn the 48-hour ultimatum it issued earlier demanding the arrest of those responsible for the killing of two Kuki-Zo villagers in Kamjong district, after authorities assured that the case would be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a detailed probe.

The ultimatum, announced on March 12 by CoTU’s Sadar Hills Kangpokpi unit, had called for immediate action against those behind the killings that triggered outrage across the Kuki-Zo community in the hill districts of Manipur.

In a statement issued on Sunday, March 15, the organisation said the decision to withdraw the ultimatum followed extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including a conglomerate of Kuki civil society organisations in Sadar Hills Kangpokpi. The move was taken after authorities assured that the case would be entrusted to the country’s premier investigative agency for an impartial inquiry.

The victims were identified as Thengin Baite of Thawai Kuki Village and Thangboimang Khongsai of Shankai Village in Kamjong district. Their killings had sparked grief and anger within the Kuki-Zo community, prompting calls for swift justice and accountability.

CoTU emphasised that the investigation would serve as a “litmus test” for the NIA’s commitment to conducting a fair, professional and politically neutral probe.

“The investigation must be carried out with the highest standards of transparency and integrity to ensure justice for the victims and their families,” the organisation said, adding that the outcome of the probe would play a crucial role in restoring public confidence in the rule of law.

Reaffirming its faith in constitutional mechanisms, CoTU stated that the Kuki-Zo community would continue to seek justice through legal and democratic means so that such incidents of violence and lawlessness do not recur in the region.

The organisation also expressed deep anguish over the deaths of the two villagers and extended solidarity to their bereaved families.

Appealing for restraint, CoTU urged the public and civil society groups to avoid spreading inflammatory or unverified information that could further destabilise the fragile peace in the region.