Emerging Videos Point to Discrepancies in Police Version, Families Say

Newsreel Asia Insight #286
July 19, 2024

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) and other tribal groups have accused the Assam police of the extrajudicial killings of three Kuki-Zo youths in Cachar district, describing the incident as “cold-blooded murder.” Reportedly, the youngsters, one of them from Manipur, were killed after being detained by the police on July 16. The police’s explanation of the circumstances surrounding their deaths doesn’t appear to be consistent, say families of the deceased.

The youth, identified as 21-year-old Lallungawi Hmar, 33-year-old Lalbiekkung Hmar and 35-year-old Joshua Lalrinsang, all from the Hmar community within the Kuki-Zo tribes, were arrested by Assam police under Kachudharam Police Station on Krishnapur Road while they were travelling in an autorickshaw.

So, how were they killed? Let’s first examine the police version of events.

Cachar Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta said the three individuals had been identified as “militants” from a Hmar “extremist group,” and they were allegedly planning “subversive activities” along the Assam-Manipur border areas, possibly alluding to Manipur’s tense Jiribam district.

The three were reportedly “village volunteers,” according to the Hmar Students Association. The village volunteers are members of a civilian guard—a role necessitated by the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur that began in May 2023. Over a year later, in June, the tensions spread to Manipur’s Jiribam district, which hosts a population of Hmars and borders Assam. Here, the death of a Meitei farmer was attributed to a Kuki-Zo armed group, though without evidence. Two individuals from the Hmar-Mizo tribal community were reportedly killed, and 48 houses and a church owned by the community were destroyed, displacing more than 1,000 people.

The Hmars, belonging to the numerous Mizo tribes, reside in Mizoram, Manipur and Assam. They empathise with the entire Hmar community, regardless of the state they inhabit. This is perhaps why two of the three Hmar youths who were from Assam also served as village volunteers in Manipur.

SP Mahatta stated that following a confidential tip, a police unit discovered sophisticated weaponry, including an AK-47 rifle, a single-barrel rifle and a pistol, accompanied by live ammunition from the three youth. He further alleged that during interrogation, the three disclosed that more members of their group were hiding in a nearby forest in Bhuban Hills. In response, commandos were deployed to locate and apprehend the suspected militants, he said. Upon arrival, the security forces encountered gunfire from “suspected militants” from uphill, leading to an intense exchange of fire, according to Mahatta. The trio, who were wearing bulletproof jackets and helmets, suffered severe injuries during the encounter and subsequently succumbed to their wounds, he said.

The officer added that the suspected militants who opened fire managed to flee, leaving behind an AK assault rifle and live ammunition.

Now, let’s consider the video evidence.

A video widely shared on social media depicts the three individuals dressed in civilian clothing, being apprehended without resistance while in an autorickshaw. In the video, one of the policemen can be heard instructing someone to start recording. After the three youths exited the autorickshaw, the officer inspects a small bag and claims to find a pistol, although he does not show it to the person filming.

Another footage reveals the youths tied with ropes being taken to a secluded forest area.

Later, photographs of their bodies, leaked from the morgue at Silchar Medical College Hospital, surfaced. These images revealed that the three youths had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Contrary to police claims, only one of them was wearing a bulletproof vest, not all three.

Furthermore, it is peculiar that while three policemen were allegedly injured in the fighting, the only casualties were these three youths. It’s also strange that, although none of the suspected militants was reported to be killed or injured, they fled so abruptly that they left behind an assault rifle and live ammunition, despite being uphill, as claimed by the police.

Highlighting these discrepancies, the ITLF has demanded that the involved officers face trial. The organisation has urged the National Human Rights Commission to intervene, recommending an impartial investigation by the state government and an immediate review by the Commission.

The families of the three youngsters on July 19 filed a joint police complaint based on their allegations.

The context of the ongoing violence is rooted in ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur, which heightened after an April 2023 Manipur High Court suggestion that the majority Meitei community be granted tribal status. This potential change stoked fears among the Kuki-Zo communities about losing their ancestral lands, escalating into widespread violence.

Violence has been going on since May 3, 2023, following a protest by tribal people in Churachandpur district. At least 67,000 individuals have been displaced and at least 186 Kuki-Zo people have been reported killed. The conflict has also led to the destruction of 200 villages and 360 places of worship of the Kuki-Zo people.

The aftermath has seen complete ethnic segregation as Kuki-Zo families have moved out of Imphal and Meiteis have left Kuki-majority areas, leading to the near-total destruction of properties owned by both communities in their respective regions.

Meiteis have also been casualties in the conflict, but their groups have not disclosed the number of deaths on their side.