KIM urges Shah to reorganise police jurisdiction
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 30 2024:
In a recent memorandum addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) appealed for urgent reorganisation of police jurisdiction in Kangpokpi district.
The memorandum, dated June 27, highlighted arguments for realigning police administration to protect the Kuki population.
The memorandum sought administrative boundaries that have been in place since the British era along with referring to Manipur Gazette notifications that have historically delineated the hill and valley districts.
According to the Kuki Inpi Manipur, the state home department has, since 2011, clandestinely and politically extended the police jurisdiction of valley districts into hill district areas which led to confusion, fear, and a sense of insecurity among the Kuki inhabitants.
The ethnic conflict that erupted on May 3, last year, has further intensified these issues.
Kuki Inpi asserted that these violent acts have been supported and facilitated by local Meetei civil society organisations, creating an environment of fear and persecution for the Kuki population.
They argued that the current arrangement of police jurisdiction violates constitutional provisions of Article 371C of the Indian Constitution, as well as other legal statutes designed to protect tribal rights and lands.
The memorandum emphasised that the extension of valley district police jurisdictions into hill areas undermined political and territorial rights of the Kuki tribes.
The memorandum provided specific examples of police outposts and stations that have been placed under the jurisdiction of valley districts despite being located within hill district boundaries.
These include the police outposts and stations at Leitanpokpi, Yainganpokpi, Maphou Dam, and Keithelmanbi.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur argued that these manipulations have been deliberately conducted to weaken the territorial integrity and political standing of the Kuki tribes.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur called for immediate intervention from the Union Home Minister to rectify these jurisdictional anomalies.
They proposed that the police administration in Kangpokpi district, previously known as Sadar Hills east and west sub-divisions, be realigned with the hill district administration.
Such a reorganisation is essential for restoring peace and ensuring the safety and security of the Kuki community, they contended.
The memorandum is accompanied by annex-ures of several documentation to support their claims.
Kuki Inpi Manipur expressed hope that by addressing these jurisdictional issues, the Union Home Minister can help mitigate the ethnic conflict and protect the rights and lives of the Kuki population in Manipur.