Lamka, August 1, 2025: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has strongly condemned the recent press release issued by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which named and arrested Thanglienlal Hmar @ Boya as a key conspirator in the 2024 Jiribam killings. According to the KZC, the arrest is arbitrary, unjustified, and raises grave concerns about the fairness and due process of the investigation.
In an official statement, the KZC described Thanglienlal Hmar as an innocent boatman with no involvement in the killings of three Meitei women and children in Jiribam. The Council questioned the investigative approach taken by the NIA, calling it biased and selective.
The KZC also highlighted a series of incidents where justice remains unserved, including the rape and murder of Zosangkim, a Kuki-Zo woman; the killing of 10 Hmar volunteers in Jiribam; and the beheading of David Thiek of Langza, whose alleged killer's identity was circulated on social media without any arrest. The murder of Sub-Inspector Onkhomang remains uninvestigated, while several Kuki-Zo individuals continue to be imprisoned without trial, the Council added.
Contrasting this with the release of those accused in the Naked Parade incident, the KZC accused the justice system of showing deep bias, alleging that justice is being selectively applied.
Calling for an end to one-sided arrests and judicial partiality, the Council emphasized that the conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities is now both physically and emotionally dividing, and a mere law-and-order approach is no longer tenable. Instead, it called for a political settlement that formally recognizes the separation between the two communities and seeks to secure peace and dignity for both.
The statement was issued by Ginza Vualzong, Secretary of Information & Publicity, Kuki-Zo Council.
