Manipur: Indian army releases 12 militants after being confronted by ‘mob of 1,200-1,500 led by women’

Move to release militants defended by army that calls it ‘mature’ and reflective of its ‘humane face’

The Indian Army “released” at least 12 militants after they were surrounded by a 1,500-strong “women-led mob” in the northeastern state of Manipur that has been experiencing ethnic violence for about two months.

The security forces confirmed they were forced to release the militants belonging to separatist group Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL). The army had earlier held with arms, ammunition and war-like stores.

Under the grip of unprecedented violence, the clashes first erupted after a “Tribal Solidarity March” was called by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM).

The march was organised in protest against the demand for inclusion of the area’s majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, following a 19 April Manipur High Court directive.

Under Indian law some government jobs, college admissions and electoral seats – from village councils to parliament – are reserved for communities under the ST category as a form of affirmative action to tackle historical structural inequality and discrimination.

The Kuki community has opposed the Meitei community’s inclusion in the list, fearing opportunity and job loss due to the group’s demographically and politically advantageous position.

“At around 2.30pm, acting on specific intelligence inputs, an operation was launched by security forces in Itham village in Imphal East after which a cordon was laid... In the ensuing operation, 12 KYKL cadres were apprehended along with arms, ammunition and war-like stores,” an army spokesperson told Hindustan Times.

Soon after “a mob of 1,200-1,500 led by women and [a] local leader immediately surrounded the target area and prevented the security forces from going ahead with the operation. Repeated appeals to the aggressive mob to let security forces carry on with the operation as per the law did not yield any result”, the spokesperson said.

The army defended the move to release the militants belonging to the separatist group, calling it “mature” and saying that it “shows [the] humane face of the Indian Army”.

“Keeping in view the sensitivity of use of force against the mob led by women and likely casualties due to such action, decision was taken to hand over all 12 cadres to the local leader,” a spokesperson told The Times of India.

The widespread violence, displacement of people and destruction of property that has occurred in recent weeks has been described as one of the worst ethnic flare-ups in decades.

The state has seen more than 100 deaths, and 40,000 people have been displaced in clashes between the Meitei and Kukis.

Houses, churches, temples, shops and businesses have been torched amid widespread violence in the state raging over the demand of Meiteis to seek tribal status for access to economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education.

Earlier on 4 June, the federal government formed a three-member judicial panel to investigate the violence.

An all-party meeting was held on 24 June, with federal home minister Amit Shah saying that prime minister Narendra Modi has been “constantly monitoring the Manipur situation since day one” and “guiding us with full sensitivity”, reported Press Trust of India.

The opposition Congress party has called out Mr Modi for his absence from the scheduled high-level meeting as he wrapped up his state visit to the US from where he embarked on his maiden state visit to Egypt.

Rahul Gandhi, opposition leader of Congress, said: “Manipur has been burning since 50 days, but the prime minister remained silent.”

“An all-party meeting was called when the prime minister himself is not in the country! Clearly, this meeting is not important for the prime minister.”

Mr Modi, who has promised efforts to restore peace in Ukraine during his meeting with Joe Biden, has been criticised for his “stoic silence” over the violence in the region.

Ten leaders of opposition parties in Manipur had submitted a letter three-page memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office to request a meeting with him before his state visit to the US.

In Manipur, people raised posters showing Mr Modi’s face with the words: “Still missing. Have you seen this man? Status: blind and deaf.”