The Kuki Inpi Manipur vehemently slammed the authorities over what it termed “selective action” and “gross injustice” against the Kuki-Zo community, questioning the arrest of four Kuki-Zo individuals while the killers of three Kuki-Zo church leaders continue to roam free.
It is worth mentioning that four individuals were apprehended by joint security forces comprising the Manipur Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Assam Rifles in Kangpokpi district on Monday, May 25, during an operation linked to the investigation into the abduction of six persons earlier this month.
The operation was conducted in the area between P. Molding and the Leilon Vaiphei inter-village road as part of a series of search operations launched following the abduction of six individuals from Leilon Vaiphei on May 13, 2026.
The apprehended individuals have been identified as Thangkhomang Khongsai (51) of Patbung village, Kangchup; Seikholet Khongsai (40) of Mongbung Tongneh, New Keithelmanbi; Lunminthang Dimngel (27); and Kamgoulal Khongsai (30).
Officials stated that the possible involvement of the apprehended individuals in the abduction of the six persons is under investigation and will be ascertained during the course of further inquiry.
KIM expressed “deep concern and strong objection” over the recent arrests made in connection with the disappearance of six Naga individuals, alleging that there has been little visible progress in the investigation into the “cold-blooded murder” of the three Kuki-Zo church leaders killed on May 13.
The organisation said the continued silence and inaction surrounding the killings have caused “immense pain and anguish” among the Kuki-Zo people, who continue to await justice.
KIM further raised alarm over the alleged illegal detention and hostage-taking of fourteen innocent Kuki-Zo civilians in Senapati district, claiming they were being held under the influence of a students’ body and later other civil society organisations.
“It is deeply disturbing that while extensive combing operations, searches, and investigations are continuously being conducted in Kuki-Zo areas, there has been little to no sincere effort made to investigate the brutal killing of the three Kuki-Zo church leaders,” the statement said.
Calling the arrests of the four Kuki-Zo individuals “questionable,” the organisation warned that such actions would inevitably be perceived by the community as “a grave injustice” and a violation of their rights so long as the perpetrators behind the church leaders’ killings remain at large.
The apex body asserted that the rule of law must be applied equally to all citizens “irrespective of community, ethnicity, or political considerations,” and cautioned that a democratic government cannot function on “bias, discrimination, and selective silence.”
KIM urged the authorities and investigating agencies to act with “fairness, sincerity, and impartiality” by ensuring equal justice for all communities and prioritising the unconditional release of the fourteen detained Kuki-Zo individuals.
It also demanded immediate action to bring the killers of the three church leaders to justice, warning that arbitrary arrests and selective measures at such a volatile juncture would only inflame public sentiment and further aggravate the fragile situation in the state.
“The Kuki-Zo people seek neither privilege nor prejudice, but truth, equality, and constitutional principles,” the statement added.
