Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh stated on Monday that the state government is systematically reviewing criminal cases filed against individuals following the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.
Responding to a short-duration discussion raised by Opposition MLA K. Ranjit Singh in the state Assembly, the Chief Minister acknowledged that the unprecedented conflict forced many youths to take up arms.
While noting that some acted with “good intentions” to defend their areas, he cautioned that others utilized the unrest to engage in purely criminal activities.
Addressing the status of local armed factions, Khemchand Singh clarified that the state government has not banned “Village Volunteers” in either the hill or valley regions, nor has it outlawed the Arambai Tenggol group. He said police arrests are strictly based on individual criminal actions rather than affiliation with these organizations.
The Chief Minister also admitted that the ongoing crisis had severely impacted the morale of the Manipur Police, which he described as a historically strong force. He assured the House that active measures are underway to rebuild and strengthen the police department.
However, he ruled out a blanket withdrawal of criminal cases, saying that each case requires individual legal assessment, a process he said would take time.
Separately, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam reaffirmed a 2024 government policy to protect youths not involved in heinous offenses.
He stated that the government would refrain from prosecuting individuals whose actions did not involve murder, extortion, or direct attacks on security forces.
According to Konthoujam, authorities have registered a total of 711 individual cases since the violence erupted.
Denying opposition allegations of police harassment against local youths, the Home Minister said that the government bears a responsibility to protect innocent individuals.
He further informed the House that the Chief Minister has already instructed authorities to expedite the release of individuals named in suo motu cases by agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA), provided they clear initial questioning.