The Manipur government on Sunday ordered a magisterial enquiry to probe the incident in Churachandpur district on February 15 when two persons were killed and government buildings torched by a mob.
The State government said legal action would be taken if anyone enforced the notice issued by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) which asked government officials to not report for work from Monday.
The Kuki-Zo body announced a shutdown in Churachandpur district following the February 15 incident when government offices, including the mini Secretariat, were torched and vandalised. The incident was triggered by the suspension of a Kuki-Zo police personnel, who was seen posing in a video with “armed miscreants and village defence volunteers”. The ITLF demanded that the suspension be revoked, and issued an ultimatum to the Superintendent of Police Shivanand Surve and Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar to leave Churachandpur within 24 hours.
The ITLF said that State government employees should abstain from going to work. “If someone is seen at the office, they will be held accountable if something unfortunate were to happen to them. Financial, medical, and educational institutions will be exempt,” the ITLF said.
An order issued by Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi on Sunday said that “no one shall or attempt to make any deliberate effort to follow or enforce the above notice at any cost”.
“In case of any violation of the above orders, the person(s) concerned without any exception shall be booked and prosecuted under relevant provision of law of land for the time being in force,” the order said.
“’No work, No pay’ shall also be enforced by all the State Government Offices/Institutions against those employees who do not attend their official duty without authorised leave,” the order said.
It stated that the State government views the matter very seriously, with utmost sensitivity, as the same act is illegal and the ITLF notice is without any authority.
“A large number of Relief Camps are operating in the Districts where many children, old aged persons, pregnant and lactating mothers, specially abled persons are residing, and their regular care is being taken. Examinations of CBSE [Central Board of Secondary Education] Board have started and State Boards are due from 27th February 2024 for which preparations are in full swing,” the order said.
On Sunday, the Manipur government announced a magisterial enquiry led by Mr. Kumar to probe the February 15 incident.
The order said that the “government institutions were attacked with a view to incite anti-establishment feelings and the Indian tricolour, the sacred symbol of the Republic of India, was un-hoisted unceremoniously from the DC Office building and dishonoured during the incident of rampant acts of sabotage, arson and vandalism”.
Two people, including a 15-year-old boy, were killed in the incident. The enquiry that should be completed in 30 days will ascertain the facts and circumstances leading to the incident, the loss of lives and property, and suggest remedial measures to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future.
Another magisterial enquiry was ordered to probe the February 13 incident when a police armoury was looted in Imphal East.
