New Delhi: More than a year and a half after violence first erupted in Manipur, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Supreme Court to probe murder and heinous crimes has ensured arrests in only 3.7 percent cases, and filed a closure report in 27.7 percent cases marking them as “undetected”.
SIT 1, probing a total of 108 cases, filed chargesheets in 30 of them, accounting for 27.7 percent, while statement of only one person has been recorded before the magistrate.
A district-wise breakdown of the cases with both SIT 1 and 2 provides a clearer picture of the slow pace of investigations in the state plagued by conflict.
Asked about the slow pace of investigation in the cases, a senior Manipur Police officer shed light on a host of challenges—resistance from locals restricting movement of teams, uncertain law and order situation, and ethnic bias creeping into the probe. “It is not easy to arrest people, find evidence in such a volatile situation,” the officer said.
“Both in the valley and hilly regions, community-led armed crowds, and women known as Meira Paibis, often intervene during arrests, compelling the police to release detainees. Mobs even appear outside courtrooms or judges’ residences during the accused’s appearances, and have heckled and beaten up senior officers,” the officer added. “Sadly, there are black sheep, and in some cases, the police are also biased towards the community they belong to, which further proves to be a hindrance.”
According to an officer associated with one of the SITs, the mandate of the team is to only be “supervisory officers”.
“We do not have the mandate to arrest. It is the job of the local police. They probe and they arrest. We can only write supervision notes to the concerned Superintendents of Police and investigating officers, and hold their hand. We have been assisting them on several issues, but if the law and order situation is so poor, it becomes difficult even for the police to probe and take action,” the officer said.
Also Read: Manipur accounted for 77% violent incidents in Northeast in 2024, says MHA in annual report
In several districts, accused were identified over the course of months, yet no arrests were made and no chargesheets were filed. Many of these cases concluded with the submission of closure reports, effectively marking the closure of the investigations.
Sample this: In Imphal West, in the 20 cases registered, 34 accused were identified, but no arrests were made and no statements recorded. Chargesheets were filed in three cases, while two ended with closure reports.
In Imphal East, in 20 registered cases, nine accused were identified, with two arrests made. Chargesheets were filed in two cases, but no statements were recorded. Closure reports were filed in two.
In Kakching, where eight cases were registered, 38 accused were identified, but no arrests were made and no statements recorded. Chargesheets were filed in six and closure reports were submitted in two.
In Tengnoupal, seven cases were filed and 11 accused were identified. However, no arrest was made and no statements were recorded. Chargesheets were filed in two cases.
In the 16 cases in Bishnupur, 28 accused were identified. Only one person was arrested. Chargesheets were filed in eight cases, while closure reports were submitted in three.
In Churachandpur, 27 cases were registered, but only three accused were identified. No arrests were made. The statement of one person was recorded and chargesheets were filed in nine. Closure reports were submitted in 15 cases.
In Kangpokpi, where10 cases were registered, no accused was identified, no arrests made and no chargesheets filed. With 60 witnesses examined, no statements were recorded before the magistrate. Closure reports were submitted in six cases.
In Thoubal, two cases were registered in this district, both of which were handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Explaining the numbers, another officer said that due to limited available evidence and topographical challenges, the necessary groundwork for such investigations could not be carried out.
“A number of accused persons have been identified, but cannot be located. The internet was down for the longest time, which hampered the investigation. Once the internet is off, surveillance goes out the window. Many accused have moved to different states and we are unable to locate them.”
Moreover, there is very limited digital evidence available. “There is negligible digital evidence, no CCTV cameras that could give us clues, and the hilly terrain and deep jungles make it even more challenging,” the officer said. “Moreover, how can any investigation be carried out in a place that blows up every two months? There has not been a stretch of three months where things have been calm.”
He said that it is very difficult to convince people to come forward and give statements, and even victims do not want to share full information.
The officer mentioned that there is no human intelligence available, as many people also do not wish to disclose information about their own community.
Even if there is a lead, the police may be compromised. These are the challenges on the ground that only officers conducting these investigations are aware of, the officer explained.
On the several closure reports, the officer said that these were cases where no accused could either be identified or located, or no evidence was found. “These cases, however, can be reopened anytime if any lead is found. Moreover, even the court, if unsatisfied with the police’s efforts, can reject the report and ask them to reinvestigate.”
With respect to the cases with SIT 2—related to rape and sexual offences against women—in Imphal East, no accused could be identified in the two cases registered in the district. No chargesheet was filed, no one was arrested and both cases were eventually closed.
In Imphal West, where two cases were registered, only two accused could be identified, and one was arrested. Chargesheet was filed in one case and the other was closed.
In Bishnupur, where the SIT was probing five cases, two accused were identified, but no one was arrested. Chargesheets were filed in two and closure report was filed in one.
A police officer reiterated that without a semblance of law and order, investigations cannot be carried out. “In a state where the law-and-order situation is not stable, a comprehensive investigation remains a distant goal. We are doing our best to ensure that probes are carried out, arrests are made, but no efforts will be enough till the situation is under control.”
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
Also Read: UNLF extorted crores in name of ‘liberation struggle’, used it to ‘exacerbate Manipur violence’—ED probe
