Manipur: Kuki-Zo bodies condemn Ukhrul ambush, Kuki Inpi gives police 72-hour ultimatum over alleged bias

Kuki-Zo organisations in Manipur have condemned the killing of four civilians in an ambush near New Heaven in Ukhrul district, while denying any involvement of the community in the attack and calling for an impartial investigation.

In separate statements, the Working Committee Kuki Civil Society Organisations (WCKCSOs), Ukhrul, cautioned against collective blame and selective security action in Kuki-Zo inhabited areas. 

Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) accused the state police of inconsistent reporting in its statements on two separate shooting incidents on November 12 and issued a 72-hour ultimatum for clarification and corrective action.

The WCKCSOs-Ukhrul said the attack took place between 1.30 pm and 2 pm on two civilian vehicles travelling from Ukhrul towards Imphal. Four people, including a woman and three men, were killed.

Expressing condolences to the bereaved families, the organisation said the killing of civilians must be condemned irrespective of their community or identity. It denied any Kuki-Zo involvement in the ambush and said no community should be implicated without credible evidence.

The committee also called for a thorough investigation into the identity and motive of the attackers, including any possible links with the ongoing internal conflict involving NSCN factions. It said the timing of the attack, in relation to reported security escort arrangements for civilian convoys from 2 pm onwards, also required scrutiny.

The organisation expressed concern that the incident could lead to searches, detentions or security operations in Kuki-Zo inhabited areas. It urged the authorities to ensure that no community was subjected to collective blame or retaliatory action.

It also referred to previous incidents, including the Chassad massacre, and called for equal security measures and accountability for all communities.

Meanwhile, Kuki Inpi Manipur questioned the language used by Manipur Police in two statements issued on November 12 regarding separate shooting incidents.

According to KIM, the police described the killing of Kimneineng Chongloi (40), a Kuki woman who was harvesting paddy, and injuries to two other Kuki civilians as a "firing incident", without identifying the alleged attackers.

However, in a separate statement concerning a Tangkhul Naga civilian who sustained a bullet injury, the police reportedly described the attackers as "suspected Kuki armed miscreants".

KIM alleged that the difference in wording reflected inconsistent standards in police communication and sought clarification on the evidence behind the identification of the alleged attackers as members of the Kuki community.

The organisation said police statements should follow uniform, impartial and evidence-based standards, and raised concerns over what it described as ethnic bias in official communication.

KIM has sought an internal inquiry to identify the officers responsible for drafting and approving the statements, a public explanation for the difference in wording, disclosure of the evidence supporting the police's description of the alleged attackers, and disciplinary action if deliberate misrepresentation or discriminatory reporting is established.

It has given Manipur Police 72 hours to issue a satisfactory clarification and initiate corrective action. The organisation warned that it may pursue legal and constitutional remedies, including suspending cooperation with the police in Kuki areas, if its demands are not met.

Both organisations called for accountability over civilian killings while urging authorities and communities to avoid actions that could deepen ethnic tensions.