Guwahati/Imphal: Tensions are mounting in Manipur after two tribal organizations raised concerns over the recent arrests of two men from the Hmar community, who were taken into custody in connection with the killings of six Meitei people last year in Jiribam.
The organizations claimed the arrested individuals have no criminal history and that their detention is unjustified.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Assam Police arrested Thanglienlal Hmar and Lalrosang Hmar, both residents of Assam’s Cachar district. The arrests were made on Thursday, with Thanglienlal Hmar apprehended in Assam and Lalrosang Hmar arrested in Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl.
The NIA has accused the two men of being “active conspirators” in the crime, recovering two mobile phones and two SIM cards from them as part of their investigation.
However, the Churachandpur-based Hmar Women Association condemned the arrests, calling them “arbitrary and discriminatory.” In a statement, the association described the men as “fathers, daily wage earners, and individuals with no recorded history of criminal activities,” and demanded their immediate release.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Similarly, the Kuki Zo Council issued a statement claiming that Thanglienlal Hmar is an “innocent boatman” and that his arrest “raises serious concerns about due process and fairness.” The Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (ITAC) also called the arrests “arbitrary.”
Background of the Killings
The arrests are related to a brutal incident that occurred in November last year in Manipur’s Jiribam district. Six members of the Meitei community—three women and three children—were abducted and their mutilated bodies were later found in the Barak River.
The victims were identified as Yumrembam Rani Devi, Telem Thoibi Devi and her daughter Telem Thajamanbi Devi, and Laishram Heithoibi Devi and her two young children.
The killings occurred on the same day that ten suspected militants were killed in an encounter with security forces. This incident intensified the ongoing ethnic conflict between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups, with tensions spreading to neighboring Assam. The Union Home Ministry transferred the case to the NIA in December last year.
Demand for Justice
Meanwhile, in Imphal, a group of people, primarily women, held a candlelight vigil to demand justice for the victims. The event was organized by a joint forum, the Uripok Apunba Lup and the Uripok Apunba Nupi Lup.
The vice-president of the forum, Khwairakpam Tarunkumar, appreciated the NIA’s arrests and demanded “exemplary punishment” for all those involved in the “gruesome massacre.” The forum has also filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Manipur High Court regarding the case.
The NIA’s arrests come after the Manipur High Court ordered the agency to report on the case and file a chargesheet within a month.