Imphal: The fragile calm in strife-hit Manipur has once again been shaken after a controversial notice—allegedly issued by a Kuki civil society group—surfaced on social media, sparking widespread alarm and raising serious questions over internal security and the influence of armed groups in the region.
The notice, reportedly circulated by a local village development body from the Kuki-dominated areas, summons all village chiefs to ensure the presence of Kuki men currently serving in the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), Manipur Rifles, and Manipur Police at an unspecified meeting. The meeting, it claims, is to be held in coordination with underground Kuki militant outfits, particularly a group referred to as “Samsao”—a term often associated locally with underground cadres of the Kuki National Front (KNF).
The document’s reference to coordination with militants and the demand for the physical presence of state security personnel has drawn immediate concern from government officials, security agencies, and civil society organizations across Manipur. While the authenticity of the notice is yet to be officially confirmed, its contents have gone viral, amplifying fears of renewed unrest and deepening communal divides.
Security Concern Raised
Security analysts say the notice, if genuine, suggests an unprecedented and dangerous overlap between serving government personnel and insurgent outfits operating in the hills of Manipur. It raises the spectre of forced allegiance and coercion, and highlights the growing influence of militant factions in civilian and administrative affairs in the Kuki-Zo dominated districts.
Sources within the state police have expressed concern that such a development could compromise the neutrality of law enforcement agencies, especially at a time when Manipur continues to grapple with deep ethnic fault lines and a delicate law and order situation.
A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, stated: “Any attempt to create a parallel command over state forces—especially based on ethnic affiliations—undermines the structure of governance and endangers the integrity of the uniformed services.”
The Manipur state government has not issued a formal response regarding the viral notice. However, sources indicate that both the Intelligence Bureau and the Ministry of Home Affairs are closely monitoring the situation, particularly in light of the already fragile peace in the region following last year’s ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
The notice comes at a time when Manipur remains deeply divided following a series of violent confrontations between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that erupted in May 2023. Hundreds were displaced, dozens killed, and vast regions of the state remain under tight security protocols with intermittent internet bans, curfews, and deployment of central forces.
In such a volatile environment, any perceived coordination between state forces and insurgent elements—especially framed along ethnic lines—has the potential to derail ongoing peace-building efforts.
The coming days will be crucial as the Manipur government is expected to take a stand on the issue. Meanwhile, all eyes remain on how the situation unfolds in the hill districts—and whether this viral notice will further destabilise the already sensitive socio-political balance of the state.
