Designate Hostage-Killers As 'Kuki Terrorists', Start Mass Operations In 7 Days: Manipur Cabinet

In an eight-point resolution released minutes before midnight, the state cabinet resolved "to start mass operations against the Kuki militants responsible for the killing of six innocent women and children in Jiribam within seven days." The cabinet also sought to "declare the Kuki militants responsible for the killing of the six innocent women and children as an 'unlawful organisation' within seven days". If implemented, the Kuki militants responsible for taking hostage and killing them would be designated a terrorist group.

Six members of a family - all internally displaced people from the Meitei community - including an eight-month-old infant, a two-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl, were killed in captivity after they were taken hostage by Kuki militants on November 11.

Three of the partially decomposed bodies including of the infant were found on Friday in a river in the district neighbouring Assam. The infant's body had considerably swelled up, making the corpse bag look larger than how the baby would have been when alive, a source in the Silchar hospital where the body was kept told NDTV. Three more bodies were found between Saturday and Monday. The autopsies have been done, but the complete reports are yet to be shared with the authorities, top government sources told NDTV.

At least two dozen suspected Kuki militants split into two groups before launching the attack in Jiribam's Borobekra on November 11, police sources had told NDTV. While one group took civilian hostages, the other vandalised and set fire to houses, sources said. Ten militants in the group that attacked a CRPF camp were shot dead, the police said in a statement. The Kuki tribes claim the 10 men were "village volunteers", an allegation the police and other authorities have denied. The security forces have shared visuals of assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) which they say were brought by the militants. They have also shared visuals of a police SUV with numerous bullet holes.

The cabinet resolved to hand over three cases to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). These cases are the Jiribam terror attack on November 11 that ended with the kidnapping and execution of the civilian hostages, the death of a woman from the Hmar tribe on November 7 in Jiribam (in an attack by suspected Meitei militants), and the killing of a woman farmer from the Meitei community in the valley district Bishnupur on November 9.

On the imposition of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in six more police station areas, the resolution stated, "Central government to review the imposition of AFSPA as per the order dated 14 November, 2024 with immediate effect." This law ensures no military personnel in an area where AFSPA is in force can be prosecuted without the Centre's permission. All National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MLAs in the state will consult the people and decide the course of action "if the resolutions are not implemented within the specified period", the cabinet resolution stated.

The cabinet condemned the attacks on the houses of MLAs and ministers. The Meitei community had come out in massive protests alleging the government did not do enough to save the hostages. "Such barbaric action of the miscreants, including the looting and destruction of properties, was strongly condemned by all the legislators present," the cabinet resolution stated. It said legal action will be taken against those involved in arson and vandalism, based on the findings of a high-powered committee.

Monday's resolution acknowledged a statement by the state cabinet on November 16, where it said the peace process between the Thadou and Hmar tribes and the Meitei community had just begun to yield dividends, with all sides reciprocating positively for return to normalcy. The Rongmei Naga tribe also expressed strong support for an early end to the crisis. The state cabinet had, however, said it was "dismayed at the derailment of the [peace] process by certain vested groups..."

The November 16 statement had said "Kuki miscreants" burnt several houses and attacked Borobekra police station in Jiribam district on October 19. It said the following: On October 26, "Kuki miscreants" again set a house on fire at Moulkangthol village in the same district. On November 3, Jiribam police rescued a Vaiphei woman from Chandrapur Rani Veng Babupara and handed her over to her family. On November 7, a Hmar woman was killed and several houses were set on fire in Zairawn village by Meitei miscreants. The same day, Kuki miscreants attacked Mongbung Meitei village with bombs. On November 11, the CRPF effectively countered an armed offensive by Kuki militants on Borobekara police station which housed a relief camp, killing 11 militants. In the attack, two Meitei civilians were killed by the Kuki militants.

Twenty-seven MLAs attended Monday's cabinet meeting. Seven did not come over medical and other personal reasons; 11 did not turn up and didn't give any reason. The Manipur assembly has 60 seats. Of these, 10 MLAs are from the Kuki-Zo tribes, and they have been demanding a separate administration carved out of Manipur.