The Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a tribal organization based in Kangpokpi, Manipur, issued a stern warning on Monday, indicating its intent to initiate an indefinite shutdown in the district if the central government did not promptly release all individuals detained by the central agencies within the last three days.
Expressing strong condemnation for the arrest of four individuals by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the killing of two Manipuri youths, COTU conveyed its message through a statement on Monday. The committee has presented a 48-hour ultimatum to the Union Home Ministry, urging it to instruct central agencies to immediately release all detained tribal individuals and to initiate an inquiry into the involvement of Meitei individuals in criminal activities.
COTU's ultimatum followed a previous announcement by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), based in Churachandpur, which declared an indefinite shutdown in the southern district of Manipur as a form of protest against the CBI's arrest of the four individuals, along with the NIA's arrest of Seiminlun Gangte.
Furthermore, COTU criticized Gangte's arrest and viewed it as a clear demonstration of bias on the part of the Union Home Ministry.
Gangte had been apprehended by the NIA in connection with a "transnational conspiracy led by terror outfits based in Bangladesh and Myanmar to wage war against the Indian government by exploiting the ongoing ethnic unrest in Manipur." His arrest was linked to the Kwakta car bomb blast in June, which resulted in three injuries.
COTU also called for the arrest of individuals involved in the theft of arms and ammunition from police stations and demanded strict penalties for those responsible for parading two women naked in May.
In July, Manipur Police had arrested over seven individuals in connection with the incident involving the two disrobed women who were paraded naked.
On September 22, the NIA took Moirangthem Anand Singh into custody in Imphal in a separate case. Singh, along with four others, had previously been arrested by Manipur Police for the possession of weapons that had been stolen from a police armory. While all five had been granted bail, Singh was subsequently arrested by the NIA due to his alleged involvement in terrorist activities. He was transported to Delhi and is undergoing due legal procedures.
Given the continuing tension in the state, the Manipur government has made the decision to keep all schools closed until October 5 or until further notice. This decision was made on September 26, when the Manipur government initially closed all schools due to the prevailing law and order situation.
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