The Manipur High Court has directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to submit a detailed progress report regarding the investigation into the Jiribam killings that occurred in November of last year. The order was issued on Monday, July 8, 2025, by a division bench comprising Chief Justice K. Somasekhar and Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh. The court's directive came after hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Soram Tekendrajit.
The case pertains to the abduction and killing of three women and three children from the Meitei community by suspected Kuki Hmar militants in the Borobekra area of Jiribam district on November 11, 2024. Their bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from the Barak River along the Manipur-Assam border on November 15, 2024. In addition to the six individuals killed, two civilians also lost their lives, and several houses were set ablaze during the attack.
The High Court expressed serious concern over the apparent lack of progress in the investigation, noting that no progress report had been submitted by the NIA under Section 167 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), nor had a chargesheet been filed, despite the FIR being registered on the day of the incident. The court emphasized that more than seven months have passed since the incident. The court noted, "If the chargesheet is not filed, the matter should be viewed seriously".
The High Court has directed W. Darakeshwor, the Senior Public Prosecutor-cum-Counsel for Government (PCCG) for the NIA, to submit a detailed progress report, including a charge sheet, before the relevant court of law. The next hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2025.
The court's intervention underscores the growing public concern regarding the slow pace of justice and the deteriorating law and order situation in Manipur, particularly in cases involving ethnic violence. The directive to the NIA reflects the judiciary's commitment to ensuring a thorough and expeditious investigation into the heinous crime and holding the perpetrators accountable.
It's worth noting that in November 2024, amidst the escalating tensions, the Manipur government had already handed over three cases from Jiribam to the NIA, including the killing of a tribal woman on November 8 and the attack on the CRPF camp on November 11. Furthermore, the state government formed a two-member panel to investigate a confrontation between a special commando team and protestors in Jiribam, which resulted in one death and another injury.
