Women’s body slams officials for ‘contradictory claims’ on Kuki infiltration

Imagi Meira, a prominent women’s organization in Manipur, has strongly condemned the state’s Security Advisor Kuldeip Singh and Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Singh for failing to conduct proper verification of alleged Kuki militant infiltrations in the riot-hit region.
The outfit expressed its concerns over contradictory statements by these officials on a planned attack by over 900 armed militants who entered Manipur from Myanmar earlier this month.
During a press conference in Imphal, Imagi Meira convenor Thokchom Sujata said that the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, which has persisted for more than a year, has intensified to the point where Kuki militants have acquired the capability to launch drone attacks on Meitei-populated areas.
“In such a grave situation, how can uniformed officers issue contradictory statements without proper verification?” Sujata questioned.
Sujata highlighted that Security Advisor Kuldeip Singh initially confirmed the militants’ entry into Manipur, only to retract his statement later, allegedly under pressure from Kuki civil society organisations threatening agitation.
“They’ve silenced us for too long. But we cannot stay silent any more”, Sujata stated emphatically.
She criticised the officials for addressing the media without thoroughly verifying sensitive intelligence. “Have you forgotten your duty as Security Advisor, Sujata asked, accusing the authorities of deepening the public’s mistrust by mishandling the situation.
Sujata issued a stern warning that any militant attacks in the border areas around September 28 would be the responsibility of the Security Advisor and the DGP. “As uniformed officers, you are expected to remain neutral, not influenced by politics. If you cannot do so, you should either take responsibility for the consequences or resign,” she demanded.
The women’s body chief also called on the central government to take swift action to resolve the ongoing conflict, asserting that Manipur’s strife is an issue for the entire nation. “When Manipur burns, India burns. Ignoring this and traveling abroad won’t bring peace to the state,” Sujata said
Last week, a major security alert was sounded by the authorities in Manipur in the wake of an intelligence input that over 900 Kuki militants have infiltrated into the state from Myanmar.
Days later, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), a tribal body representing the Kuki people of Manipur, accused the state government of spreading misinformation about Kuki-Zo communities and urged the Centre to intervene and address the “bias and injustice” against them.
However, shortly afterward, Kuldiep Singh and DGP Rajeev Singh issued a joint statement downplaying the threat, stating that the intelligence inputs could not be substantiated.
The northeastern state has been rocked by sporadic violence for more than a year between the majority Meiteis and the Kukis over quotas and economic benefits.