In response to a sudden attack by Kuki militants that resulted in the death of a mother and injuries to her daughter and several others at Koutruk in Imphal West on Sunday afternoon, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has demanded the resignation of the security advisor and DGP of Manipur.
During a press conference held at the COCOMI office in Imphal, coordinator Somorendro Thokchom alleged that the attack could have been prevented if not for the frequent search operations conducted by security forces in the periphery regions of the valley district.
He alleged that these operations caused village volunteers, who were protecting the area, to leave their posts for fear of being arrested.
Somorendro further contended that both state and central forces should be held accountable for their failure to prevent the attack.
He emphasised that if the forces had conducted operations aimed at eliminating Kuki militants more effectively, the tragic incident might have been averted.
He also highlighted a public movement that took place on June 28, where people demanded the cessation of arrests of village volunteers.
The coordinator stressed that this was a voice of the people of Manipur, who feel let down by the security forces' inability to safeguard them against the threats posed by Kuki militants.
He urged the government to respect the will of the people and address the concerns raised.
