1. NHRC focuses on the state government and DGP after 13 people were killed in Leithao village, Manipur.
2. The incident is seen as a “lapse” in law enforcement, prompting concerns about peace and order.
3. NHRC was alarmed over the reported loss of 13 lives in an area that had been relatively calm since May.
Imphal, Dec 09: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed attention to the state government and the Director General of Police (DGP) following the tragic incident of 13 people losing their lives in a gunfight in Leithao village, Tengnoupal district, Manipur. The incident, reported as a “lapse” on the part of law enforcement agencies, has raised concerns about maintaining peace and order in the state.
The NHRC expressed alarm over the reported loss of 13 lives in an area that had remained relatively calm since tensions erupted in Manipur in May of this year. The rights panel, taking suo motu cognizance of a media report detailing the gunfight in Leithao village on December 4, deemed it a serious issue of human rights violations and a matter of concern.
In response, the NHRC has issued notices to the state’s chief secretary and the director general of police, demanding a comprehensive report within two weeks. The report is expected to include details about the FIR registered by the police and the measures taken by the state government to prevent such incidents of violence across the state.
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The NHRC emphasized the need for the state to safeguard the lives and properties of its citizens, both private and public, and to foster fraternity and a spirit of brotherliness among communities. The commission’s actions are part of its ongoing consideration of various complaints received since May 2023, alleging human rights violations during incidents of violence in Manipur.
The matter was extensively discussed during the full bench’s camp sitting at Guwahati, Assam, on November 17, where senior officers from the government of Manipur and representatives of complainants and civil society were present.
According to a media report on December 5, Leithao village has nine houses and around 120 residents, with no casualties reported among the villagers. Preliminary suspicions suggest that the victims of the violence might be militants from Myanmar, as the nearby hills from Leithao are a common route used by them to enter Manipur. This incident marks the highest single-day loss of life in the violence that erupted in Manipur this year.
