Guwahati: Over 300 Meiteis, including young boys and women, were detained in New Delhi on Monday as they staged a protest at Jantar Mantar against the alleged killing of three women and three children by Kuki militant groups in Manipur‘s Jiribam district.
The Delhi Meetei Coordinating Committee (DMCC), Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), Delhi Association of Manipur Muslim Students (DAMMS), and Nupi (The Women) organized the protest.
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The demonstrators demanded urgent intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to address the ongoing unrest in Manipur.
They called for decisive actions to restore peace and normalcy in the state, citing the dire law-and-order situation that has severely impacted the region.
They shouted slogans urging the central government to end its alleged support for Kuki militant groups, whom they accused of committing brutal acts, including the rape and killing of three women and one child, and the killing of two other children in Manipur.
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After the initial demonstration, the protesters marched to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence at 6A Krishna Menon Marg, New Delhi, intending to submit a memorandum highlighting their concerns.
The memorandum specifically called on the government to halt its “support for Kuki militants”, which they alleged was being facilitated under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. However, they were intercepted and detained by the Delhi Police before reaching the Home Minister’s residence.
Wahengbam Premjit, general secretary of DMCC, who led the protest, said: “In the wake of a tragic incident that has sent shockwaves through Manipur, we urgently call upon the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the Ministry of Women and Child Development to respond decisively and uphold their duty to protect the lives of their citizens. “
“The horrific abduction, brutal assault, rape, and murder of six innocent Meitei civilians, including women and young children, by Chin-Kuki militants, has exposed devastating gaps in security and governance, leaving the people of Manipur in a state of profound grief, fear, and disappointment,” he said.
The protest aimed to draw attention to the deteriorating security situation in Manipur and the perceived failure of the government to safeguard its citizens, especially in light of the ongoing ethnic tensions.
The tragic incident in Manipur has sparked outrage as details of the brutal attack emerge. Among the six victims, four were subjected to rape before being killed, including an 8-year-old child. The youngest victim, an 8-month-old infant, was reportedly bludgeoned to death with a rod—a detail so horrific it has shocked communities nationwide.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the victims were abducted from a relief camp in Jiribam district, a location supposedly under the protection of central and state security forces, and later taken towards the Barak River, where their brutal ordeal ended.
Adding to the violence, militants reportedly attacked security forces, including camps manned by CRPF personnel, during their rampage. In retaliation, 11 militants were killed by CRPF.
For the past 18 months, Manipur has been engulfed in violence, with the state’s fragile security situation deteriorating further.