Imphal: The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has extended its total shutdown in Manipur’s Sadar Hills by an additional 48 hours following an urgent public notice issued on November 2.
The Kuki civil body stated that the extension resulted from continued government inaction and a failure to deliver justice regarding the deaths of two Kuki-Zo youths.
The organisation said that the community would no longer tolerate administrative delays or empty assurances.
Essential services remain excluded from the restrictions. The committee confirmed that schools, medical services, media and essential air travel would continue to operate normally during the shutdown period.
The escalation followed the discovery of the victims’ bodies on November 1. The two youths, identified as Thangginlun Chongloi and Paoginlal Hangsing, had gone missing on October 28 between Hengbung and Taphou Kuki village while returning from a police outpost.
The protest began at 5 pm on October 29 following the initial abductions. The campaign intensified into an extended shutdown once the deaths were confirmed, prompting community leaders to demand time-bound legal action against the perpetrators.
The committee warned that continued state inaction would prompt further public mobilisation. The body said that a mass public meeting would be convened to determine subsequent measures if the government failed to act within the newly extended timeframe.
It added that authorities would be held fully accountable for any resulting consequences.