How the caste violence of Manipur has created a rift not only among the people there but also among the police personnel, it is a matter to think about. How widespread is the feeling of insecurity within the people, he is watching the streets.Over 100 armed Meitei women sit on the roadside, guarding a section of a highway leading to the Leimakhong area of Imphal, vigilantly observing passing vehicles and occasionally stopping suspicious ones for checking. Their faces are covered with a white and orange paste, to beat the scorching sun, and they’re armed with sticks and slingshots
While this drill is on, one of them gets a phone call. As she speaks on the phone in her native language, she raises her brows and nods her head. She then cuts the call and makes an announcement for all the women to gather, be “alert”, and scan vehicles more vigilantly.
The call, a tip-off from a trusted Meitei policeman, informs them about the movement of the central forces including the Assam Rifles and the Army, accused of bias, in their area. They only trust the “Meitei police”, they say.A Meitei woman talks on the phone while the group guards a highway in Manipur
It has almost been two months since the violence began in Manipur on 3 May, but the clashes between the two communities — the Kukis dominating the hills, and Meiteis, dominating the valley — continue, with mobs armed with sophisticated weapons wreaking havoc on the streets of Manipur.
Violence escalated following a solidarity march by the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur to “protect the interest of the tribals” against the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The fallout of the violence, however, has not just been a fractured state with both communities facing its brunt, but a “completely divided” police force that has failed to restore any normalcy. Instead, it appears to be working against it.
Amid the violence, more than 1,500 Meitei and Kuki policemen mysteriously went missing in early May, only to reappear in police stations close to their homes days later, say police sources. The Kuki officers assigned to the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley retreated to the hills, while Meitei officers stationed in Kuki areas refused to return, exacerbating the divide. Many went on leave, and over 50 officers remain missing. Many of them were also reposted closer to home.
The repercussions of this division are evident in the handling of cases related to the violence. Complaints from Kukis about their burnt villages in the valley were allegedly not registered in Imphal, where Meiteis dominate the police stations. Similarly, cases filed by Meiteis regarding losses in Kuki-dominated areas were allegedly not addressed there. Instead, numerous zero First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed, pending investigation. Zero FIRs are filed irrespective of the police station the alleged crime was committed under.
The rift has also led to accusations that the police are colluding with miscreants from their own communities.“Such is the divide that they are now identifying themselves as Meitei and Kuki police. There is no Manipur police left. Barring a few, who are holding the ground, the force has been completely divided on ethnic lines,” a senior officer said to ThePrint on condition of anonymity. “This divide is not just seen among the police but also administrative offices. Most Kuki government officials have left Imphal. There is mutual mistrust and the law and order in the state has collapsed,” he added.
Acknowledging the divide, Director General of Police Rajiv Singh called the situation “unfortunate” and “challenging”. He, however, added that he has a zero-tolerance policy for policemen who betray the uniform.
“Manipur police has a record of being one of the best forces that bravely fought insurgency. Unfortunately, because of the current situation, the policemen too are going through a personal crisis. They have seen their families die, their houses being burnt. There is no doubt that the police have to do their job of maintaining law and order and that must be upheld, but this angle cannot be ignored,” Singh, who assumed the role of DGP on 1 June amid escalating tensions, replacing P. Doungel, a Kuki officer, said.
Speaking to ThePrint, a Meitei head constable who came to Imphal from a Kuki dominated area seconded Singh’s sentiment. “It is a very difficult time for us. I have seen my house being reduced to ashes by the Kukis, but still I am standing here, doing my duty. There definitely is hatred towards them (Kukis) but I am a policeman first,” he said.
Combing operations on both sides have failed, allegedly because policemen alert villagers in advance. “Senior officers are in talks with the lower rungs to keep them together. They are being told that they need to work together with the security forces for the betterment of the state and to bring back normalcy,” a police source said.
The ongoing violence has claimed at least 150 lives, displaced over 50,000 people, and resulted in the looting of 4,615 firearms from police armouries, which remain unrecovered. As many as 5,960 FIRs related to the violence have been filed, but significant arrests have yet to be made. Only 4,983 general arrests were conducted, with most individuals subsequently released, said police sources
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