IMPHAL: All the 10 tribal MLAs in Manipur, belonging to the Kuki-Zo-Hmar community in the state, have accused the state’s police personnel of molesting tribal women and assaulting civilians.
This accusation from the 10 tribal MLAs in Manipur followed the operation launched by the state police to arrest the culprits behind the killing of Moreh sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Chingtham Anand.
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SDPO of Moreh in Manipur Chingtham Anand was shot dead by a sniper of a suspected newly formed Kuki militant group.
In a statement, the 10 Kuki-Zo-Hmar MLAs highlight the “unprofessional conduct and inhumane excesses” of the Manipur police.
The MLAs accused the Manipur police commandos of “inhumane excesses” against Kuki-Zomi-Hmar civilians at Moreh in Tengnoupal district of Manipur.
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They accused the Manipur police commandos of destroying houses, properties and vehicles of the residents of the Sinam Kuki village in Tengnoupal district.
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“In the operations that are underway at Moreh, the state forces resorted to arson, indiscriminate firing, looting of civilian properties, vehicles, household items, including valuable ornaments/documents/gold/cash and unprovoked brutality forcing common people, including women and children to flee into the nearby jungle,” the statement said.
It added: “Several women have been mercilessly assaulted/molested by the commandos and admitted in the local hospital.”
“The lack of faith that our people have in the state forces stemmed from the innumerable instances of their direct involvement in attacking Kuki-Zomi-Hmar villages during the current conflict,” they said.
“We appeal to the MHA [Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India], to intervene into the matter at once and ensure withdrawal of all the commandos deployed in Moreh and other Kuki-Zomi-Hmar tribal areas and replace them with neutral central forces,” the MLAs said.
“Further, we demand that all erring state police/commando personnel should be booked as per law.”