COCOMI alleges a conspiracy to divert the Leilon Vaiphei killings protest after the arrest of two Meitei men and demands a transparent investigation.
Imphal, July 10: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on Friday alleged that the naming of two Meetei individuals in connection with the killing of six civilians whose bodies were recovered after the Leilon Vaiphei abduction case is an attempt to divert the ongoing public movement demanding justice and to create mistrust among communities.
Addressing a press conference at the COCOMI office in Lamphel, Convenor Y.K. Dhiren urged the public not to be "misled by a conspiracy theory engineered by the government" and questioned the circumstances surrounding the arrests announced by the Manipur Police.
The remarks came after Manipur Police announced the arrest of two persons for their alleged involvement in the killing of six civilians who had gone missing after being abducted from Leilon Vaiphei on May 13.
According to Dhiren, 18 civilians belonging to the Liangmai Naga community were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei on May 13. While several of them were released, six remained missing for weeks before they were later found dead.
Describing the killings as "inhuman," Dhiren noted that people from different communities have been staging protests demanding justice for the victims without allowing the issue to take a communal colour. He maintained that the agitation has consistently focused on bringing those responsible to justice rather than targeting any particular community.
RELATED NEWS: NIA Arrests Two in 6 Naga Civilians Killings as Police Clarify Identity Amid Sharp Criticisms
Referring to a press conference allegedly held by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) on June 25, Dhiren claimed the organisation had accepted responsibility for the killings. Based on that, he questioned why legal action had not been initiated against those allegedly responsible.
He further claimed that the abducted civilians had earlier provided the government with the names of five individuals allegedly involved in their abduction. Despite the passage of nearly two months, he alleged, no action had been taken against those named.
Against this backdrop, Dhiren questioned the police announcement regarding the arrest of two individuals identified as Meeteis.
According to him, the two arrested persons had been residing in Leilon Vaiphei for a considerable period. He also questioned why, according to COCOMI, the police statement did not clearly mention their residential background while identifying them.
Dhiren asked whether the names of the two arrested persons matched the list of five individuals that, according to him, had earlier been submitted by the abducted civilians.
He alleged that introducing the names of two Meetei individuals at a time of heightened inter-community tensions could divert attention from the original demands for justice and create misunderstanding between different communities.
"We should not be misled by the conspiracy theory engineered by the government to misdirect the movement," Dhiren remarked, urging the public to remain focused on securing justice for the victims rather than allowing communal divisions to deepen.
He appealed to all communities living in the state to act with restraint and mutual understanding, asserting that attempts to create divisions should not succeed.
Dhiren also warned that if the situation were to deteriorate because of what he described as misleading narratives, the government would have to bear responsibility.
The COCOMI convenor further criticised the government's handling of the investigation and reiterated the organisation's commitment to continue the ongoing movement until justice is delivered to the victims' families.
Commenting on the broader security situation, Dhiren also referred to Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh's recent statement that the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement is not a subject under the state's jurisdiction. He argued that such a position amounted to an attempt to avoid the government's responsibility in addressing issues related to security and accountability.
COCOMI maintained that the investigation into the Leilon Vaiphei killings should proceed transparently and that those actually responsible for the crime should be brought to justice based on evidence.
