Tensions in Manipur have escalated on the legal front as the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust, or KOHUR, issued a sharp critique of the state government’s recent actions. The rights body is alleging that the Government of Manipur is using the National Security Act (NSA) to bypass judicial decisions, specifically citing the detention of two individuals who had recently been granted bail by the Gauhati High Court. The controversy centers on the detention of Philip Khaikholal Khongsai, the former president of the Moreh Youth Club, and Hemkholal Mate, the chief of K. Molsang village. A Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court granted bail to both men on March 25. The court’s decision was based on serious mistakes made during their first arrest, such as not telling the accused why they were being held, which goes against their constitutional rights to personal freedom.
However, KOHUR points out that shortly after the High Court’s intervention, a preventive detention order was issued on April 4 by the District Magistrate of Tengnoupal under the National Security Act of 1980. The rights organization argues that the timing of this order is not coincidental, suggesting it was designed to keep the individuals in custody despite the court-mandated bail.
KOHUR has framed these events within the broader context of the ethnic conflict that has gripped Manipur since May 2023. State authorities are allegedly subjecting members of the Kuki-Zo community to “targeted actions.” The organization contends that using the NSA in this manner undermines the rule of law and the authority of the judiciary.
In its official statement, KOHUR called for the immediate revocation of the detention orders and the unconditional release of Khongsai and Mate. Furthermore, the body is demanding an independent inquiry into the administrative processes that led to these detentions.
As the situation develops, the rights trust has formally sought the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission, the Supreme Court of India, and the union government. This development adds a new layer of legal complexity to the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis in the region, as advocates call for a stricter adherence to constitutional protections.
