Imphal |  A Naga community organisation on Sunday warned of intensified protests over the alleged abduction and killing of six Liangmai Naga men in the Leilon Vaiphei incident, accusing the Manipur government of delaying justice for the victims.

The warning was issued during a protest at Khwairamband Ima Market in Imphal, where demonstrators demanded action in cases involving people killed or reported missing during the ethnic violence that began in Manipur on May 3, 2023.

The protest was jointly organised by women vendors of Khwairamband Ima Market, the Joint Tribe Council of Coordination Committee Imphal Area and the Save Indigenous People of Manipur. Women from various Naga tribes also participated.

The protesters formed a human chain and raised slogans seeking justice for indigenous people killed or reported missing during the conflict. They also attempted to take out a rally from the market but were stopped by security personnel after moving a short distance.

Speaking to reporters, Amana Thaimei, co-convenor of the Naga Humanitarian Aid Committee, Manipur, said Naga and Meitei communities had repeatedly used democratic forms of protest to seek justice for victims and their families.

He alleged that the state government had failed to adequately address their demands despite the conflict continuing for more than three years. Thaimei also criticised the handling of cases linked to the violence and said the Centre should take note of developments in Manipur, which, he claimed, had been widely reported by traditional and social media.

He further alleged that issues concerning victims had not received sufficient attention during the ongoing session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Objection to Assembly statement

On the Leilon Vaiphei case, Thaimei disputed a statement attributed to state Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam during the Assembly session that the chief of Leilon Vaiphei and a Manipur Police constable from the area were not involved in the incident.

Thaimei claimed that alleged eyewitnesses had told survivors that the two were involved in the incident. He accused the government of providing misleading information to the Assembly.

He also questioned the progress of the investigation into the alleged abduction and killing of six Liangmai Naga men, which he alleged was carried out by Kuki groups.

According to Thaimei, around 115 days had passed without the victims’ families receiving justice. He claimed the bodies remained at the mortuary of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) Hospital.

He warned that continued delays could lead families and community organisations to intensify their agitation, including taking the victims’ bodies to the official residences of the Chief Minister and Home Minister.

Thaimei also warned that failure to protect the lives and property of indigenous communities could lead some sections of the population to consider taking matters into their own hands, including resorting to armed resistance.

The allegations made during the protest could not be independently verified.

The demonstration comes amid continuing demands from different communities in Manipur for investigations, accountability and justice in cases linked to the violence that has gripped the state since May 2023.