Manipur: ITLF calls for judicial inquiry into Kuki-Zo woman's death by Security Forces

Imphal: The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) has called for a judicial inquiry into the killing of Hoikholhing Haokip, a Kuki-Zo woman allegedly shot by security personnel in Churachandpur district on Thursday.

The incident has triggered widespread unrest, prompting an indefinite shutdown across Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor of Manipur through the Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur on Friday, the ITLF demanded transparency and accountability in the investigation.

The forum urged the government to identify, apprehend, and prosecute those responsible for Haokip’s death in accordance with the law.

Notably, Hoikholhing Haokip, wife of the village chief of Langchingmanbi, reportedly died from a stray bullet fired during a combing operation conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in the Heichanglok area.

The operation followed an incident in which unidentified individuals, suspected to be Kuki-Zo militants, opened fire and injured a Meitei farmer in Phubala, Bishnupur district — an area adjacent to Churachandpur.

In the memorandum, the forum calls for respect for buffer zones and prevention of escalation, stating that the violation of the buffer zone demarcated between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities directly caused the death.

It argued that the violation of these buffer zones was a direct cause of the tragic incident. The forum urged authorities to uphold peace until a mutually agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) or a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement is reached between the two communities.

The incident has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Kuki-Zo community, leading to the imposition of an indefinite shutdown in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts.