IMPHAL, Sept 3: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has demanded immediate action against those who carried out a drone attack on Meitei villagers on Sunday.
“We demand immediate action against those who carried out the attack, as their identities have been revealed through social media, including the ambulance’s registration number,” the COCOMI demanded.
“If the state government fails to take appropriate action, public trust in the current administration could erode, leading to potentially extreme measures being taken to avenge the mother’s death and her daughter’s injuries,” it asserted.
Related Posts:
In a statement issued on Monday, the COCOMI said the “armed immigrant Kuki groups” used an ambulance to infiltrate Meetei villages under the guise of essential emergency services, leading to the killing of a 31-year-old mother and the injuring of her daughter and nine other village volunteers in Koutruk, Imphal West district on September 1, 2024.
The ambulance was confirmed to have come from the Leimakhong area, which houses one of the largest army camps, it alleged. The COCOMI also said the “Kuki narco-terrorists” have grossly violated and misused the sanctity of a humanitarian service vehicle, committing an inhumane crime that reflects their lack of moral and ethical integrity.
“Shockingly, a woman in the background was heard appreciating these barbaric forces and celebrating the death of the young mother and the injury of her minor child,” the COCOMI added.
In stark contrast to the evidence from video footage, photos, and ground reports, the Kuki Inpi quickly issued a press release that appeared to be preemptively drafted before the actual incident occurred, the COCOMI said. The timing of their press release coincided suspiciously with the attack, making it evident that the incident was premeditated, it further said.
The COCOMI further said the Kuki Inpi played a significant role in misleading the public, engaging in a disinformation campaign designed to deceive. “Some national and local media outlets were initially misled by the press release but later corrected their reports after realizing the truth and exposing the lies perpetuated by Kuki Inpi during the attack,” the COCOMI added.
The COCOMI then said the Manipur police have clearly stated that several highly sophisticated drones were used by Kuki militants to carry out the attack at Koutruk villages.
Later in the day, some national media outlets withdrew their reports from various platforms after realizing the false and deceptive narratives that aimed to confuse the public and cover up the crimes and disruptions caused by these barbaric armed Kuki immigrant groups, it also said.
“Simply relying on the press release of the most deceitful group in the region without verifying the content is very dangerous and needs to be strictly checked,” it stated.
According to the COCOMI, this is not the first time Kuki Inpi has spread false and fabricated narratives through their press releases. “For instance, they have previously fabricated and misrepresented the so-called Moirang Treaty of Brotherhood between the Meetei and Kuki, a narrative they constructed to legitimize their presence in the region. However, historical records from the royal chronicles of the Meetei Kings clearly indicate that this was not a treaty but rather a request to serve under the King’s command to guard the boundary. Since being exposed for this PR stunt, Kuki Inpi has continuously propagated lie after lie, with yesterday’s press release crossing the bounds of humanity,” the COCOMI statement said.
It also said justifying an “act of terror by their so-called Kuki volunteers, who used an ambulance to infiltrate Meetei villages and kill an innocent mother while critically injuring her young daughter, is utterly despicable.” (NNN)
