Imphal: Manipur Police have assured that sufficient security will be in place to ensure smooth and safe movement of people during the 5th Shirui Lily Festival, held in Ukhrul district from May 20 to 24, 2025.
This comes after a message was circulated online, supposedly from a group calling itself the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteer – Eastern Zone (KZVV-EZ). The message reportedly banned people from the Meitei community from entering Kuki villages or attending the festival. The road from Imphal to Ukhrul passes through several Kuki-inhabited villages.
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In its daily bulletin, Manipur Police said that Ukhrul district police will make proper security arrangements for the festival and asked the public to cooperate.
The bulletin also mentioned the alleged threat and said, “Manipur Police has taken note of a press note, dated May 11, 2025, said to be from an unknown group called Kuki-Zo Village Volunteer – Eastern Zone (KZVV-EZ), which is being shared on social media and in local news.”
The district police conducted an inquiry into the existence of this organization and stated that “no such organization was found.” The bulletin further advised, “As such, the general public is requested not to believe such unfounded and baseless press note issued by an unknown organization.”
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Prior to this announcement, on May 11, the Director General of Manipur Police held a security meeting at the Ukhrul district headquarters to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.
Notably, despite the seriousness of the message and its potential to incite communal tension, the state government’s Home Department has been unable to identify the source. Instead of tracing those responsible, authorities have simply declared that no such organization exists.