Manipur Police has informed that a personnel of the 6th Manipur Rifles has died while three police personnel have been injured after armed militants allegedly launched an attack on State forces on Wednesday at Moreh in Tengnoupal district. The Police identified the deceased as Wangkhem Somorjit Meetei.

Fresh violence erupted in the town bordering Myanmar after two Kuki men, Philip Khongsai and Hemkholal Mate, were arrested on 15 January 2023 and accused for the murder of Sub-divisional Police Officer Chingtham Kumar Anand on 31 October 2023.

The two arrested persons namely (a) Philip Khaikholal Khongsai and (b) Hemkholal Mate who were apprehended yesterday (15.01.2024) by Manipur Police in Moreh were produced before the Judicial Magistrate, Moreh and have been remanded into police custody for 09 (nine) days.…

— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) January 16, 2024

The arrests have been strongly condemned by the Kuki-Zo organisations who claim that the “Meitei government” and the “Meitei police” are attempts to “tarnish the image” of the accused.

As a result, a total curfew has been imposed in Tengnoupal district.

The Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal (KIT), the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and Committee On Tribal Unity (COTU) had all demanded the immediate release of the two men and served ultimatums to the Manipur government which they accuse to be “favouring only the Meiteis”.