The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has withdrawn the 48-hour ultimatum it issued earlier demanding the arrest of those responsible for the killing of two Kuki-Zo villagers in Kamjong district of Manipur, after authorities assured that the case would be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a detailed investigation.
The ultimatum, announced on March 12 by CoTU’s Sadar Hills Kangpokpi unit, had sought immediate action against those behind the killings, which had sparked widespread outrage among the Kuki-Zo community in the hill districts of the state.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the organisation said the decision to withdraw the ultimatum came after extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including a conglomerate of Kuki civil society organisations in Sadar Hills Kangpokpi. The step was taken after authorities assured that the case would be entrusted to the country’s premier investigative agency for an impartial probe.
The victims were identified as Thengin Baite of Thawai Kuki village and Thangboimang Khongsai of Shankai village, both located in Kamjong district. Their deaths triggered grief and anger within the Kuki-Zo community, leading to calls for swift justice and accountability.
CoTU said the investigation would serve as a “litmus test” for the NIA’s commitment to conducting a fair, professional and politically neutral inquiry.
“The investigation must be carried out with the highest standards of transparency and integrity to ensure justice for the victims and their families,” the organisation said, adding that the outcome of the probe would play a key role in restoring public confidence in the rule of law.
Reaffirming its faith in constitutional mechanisms, CoTU stated that the Kuki-Zo community would continue to pursue justice through legal and democratic means to ensure that such incidents of violence and lawlessness do not recur in the region.
The organisation also expressed deep grief over the deaths of the two villagers and extended solidarity to their bereaved families. It further appealed to the public and civil society groups to maintain restraint and avoid spreading inflammatory or unverified information that could further disturb the fragile peace in the region.