Manipur Police files FIR against Kuki student leader for threatening Meiteis

    Imphal, May 17 (PTI) Manipur Police has filed an FIR against the president of Kuki Students' Organisation Delhi for threatening to stop Meiteis from attending the 5th state-level Shirui Lily festival in Ukhrul district.
    In a post on X on Saturday, police said, "As regards to one Paojakhup Guite, Prez KSO Delhi threats (in a video ) to the Meiteis, to not allow to cross the buffer zone to attend the upcoming Shirui festival in Ukhrul, which is circulated in social media since yesterday, Churachandpur police has registered an FIR and all efforts, including raid, are being made in nearby districts for his immediate arrest."
    Police of neighbouring states of Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland and Meghalaya have been requested to arrest him as quickly as possible, Manipur Police said.
    It said necessary security arrangements are being made to ensure the security of people attending Shirui festival.
    Earlier, Guite, in a video widely circulated on social media, said, "They are going to hold Shirui festival to promote Meitei Tangkhul brotherhood, and urged the public that any Meitei, whether man or woman, who comes to Shirui festival should not be allowed to leave alive."
    Reacting to the statement, Indigenous Peoples' Forum Manipur president and popular Naga activist Ashang Kasar said, "During President's rule in Manipur, why were such activities allowed? Where is the governor? Where is the chief secretary? Where is the DGP?"
    The Shirui festival is held in honour of the state flower Shirui Lily, which is found in the hills of the Tangkhul Naga-majority Ukhrul district.
    The festival is scheduled from May 20 to May 24.
    The nearly 80 km route from Imphal to Ukhrul district headquarters passes through several Kuki villages.
    Kuki chiefs in villages along the Imphal-Ukhrul road have assured Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), an apex organisation of the Tangkhul Naga tribe, of maintaining a peaceful environment during the festival and reaffirmed their earlier decision not to check or frisk passersby within the jurisdiction of the TNL.
    Meanwhile, the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has condemned the registration of an FIR against Guite.
    The Trust reiterated its strong opposition to "any unjust, arbitrary and prejudicial action" by police and stated that any attempt to "harass, intimidate, or selectively prosecute" members of the Kuki community would be challenged through all constitutional and legal means.
    "Such actions will be resisted, exposed and met with appropriate legal consequences," a statement issued by the Trust said.
    Meitei Heritage Society issued a sharp condemnation of Guite’s speech, describing it as "shocking and inflammatory."
    The Society alleged that Guite "openly called for the killing of Meiteis traveling to Ukhrul to participate in the 5th State-Level Shirui Lily Festival."
    "This dangerous and hate-filled speech must be met with the strictest legal consequences," the Society said, adding that Guite "is a habitual offender" and that an FIR had already been registered against him by Delhi Police in March 2025.
    The Society welcomed the prompt action by Manipur Police in registering the FIR against Guite.
    "Let this incident serve as a strong message that no individual or organisation will be allowed to incite violence or destabilise peace without facing the full weight of justice," it said.
    More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups, who are the majority in the hill areas, since May 2023.
    The Centre imposed the President's rule in the state on February 13 after N Biren Singh resigned as chief minister. The assembly, which has tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)