Meitei Heritage Society demands arrest of suspects in Nongshum killings, seeks accountability for security lapses

The Meitei Heritage Society has condemned the killing of three Meitei civilians in Nongshum, Imphal East, and called on the Manipur government to arrest those responsible and fix accountability for alleged security lapses.

In a statement, the society expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said the repeated failure to protect civilians could not go unaccounted for.

The organisation alleged that villagers had raised concerns after an armed group's camp was relocated from the area in June 2026, fearing that their villages could become vulnerable to attacks. It claimed that the state failed to take adequate preventive measures despite these apprehensions.

The society also criticised certain Kuki civil society organisations and village groups for reportedly attributing the killings to Naga groups, saying eyewitness accounts had identified the assailants as suspected Kuki militants. It urged these organisations to cooperate with authorities in identifying and apprehending those responsible.

Calling on Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and the state security establishment to act, the society demanded the immediate arrest of the perpetrators, swift prosecution and accountability for any security lapses.

“Mere statements of intent alone are not enough,” the society said, stressing that the government's commitment to peace must be backed by civilian protection and enforcement of the law.

It warned that continued civilian killings without credible action against those responsible could undermine peace initiatives and further escalate violence.

The killings took place on Monday morning (October 19) when unidentified armed assailants allegedly opened fire on a group of Meitei villagers collecting and transporting firewood at Sunulok Hill, near the Khongbal Tangkhul area, under Sagolmang police station. Three villagers were killed and three others injured, according to Manipur Police.

The allegations regarding the identity of the assailants and the circumstances surrounding the attack remain subject to investigation.