Imphal: The Chassad Village Authority in Manipur’s Kamjong district has sought immediate intervention from the Centre, demanding the deployment of central security forces and an independent probe into a series of fatal shootings since October 9.
In a press release issued on Sunday, the authority said it had lost confidence in the district administration and alleged that local security personnel had failed to ensure the safety of Kuki civilians. It urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Manipur government to deploy the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles, citing concerns over the impartiality of the existing security arrangements.
The authority cited three fatal incidents over nine days. According to its statement, Domkhonei Touthang and Michael Ngamminlen Haokip were shot dead on October 9 in an incident allegedly involving Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel and police. On October 15, Hatneikim Haokip was killed in an ambush along the Phaikoh-Molvailup road, allegedly carried out by NSCN(IM) cadres.
The latest incident occurred on October 17, when Seikhohao Haokip was shot dead and five others injured while repairing village electricity lines. The authority said the gunfire came from the direction of the Kamjong Police Station.
The village leadership alleged that Border Security Force (BSF) and IRB personnel were present at the police station when the firing occurred. It further claimed that an IRB officer and a local policeman approached the repair team shortly before the shooting but left as the gunfire began.
The authority said these circumstances had raised suspicions of possible links between elements of the police, the Shanni National Army (SNA) and NSCN(IM). These allegations have not been independently verified.
The authority has put forward six demands, including a time-bound and independent inquiry into all casualties since October 9, the immediate reassignment of Kamjong police personnel it considers compromised, and a formal explanation from the administration for the alleged failure to put preventive security measures in place.
It also rejected allegations that the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) was responsible for burning Chassad village, describing the claims as an attempt to divert attention from the investigation. The authority did not provide further evidence in support of its counter-allegation in the statement.
The appeal comes amid heightened tensions in Kamjong district, where a series of attacks and shootings has intensified concerns over civilian safety and the effectiveness of security arrangements.