Manipur High Court pulls up NIA for inaction in Jiribam massacre probe

India Today

08-07-2025

The Manipur High Court criticised the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for its failure to make any progress in the probe into the Jiribam massacre, in which six Meitei civilians — including three women and three children — were brutally killed on November 11, 2024.The attack was allegedly carried out by Kuki-Hmar militants.A division bench of the Manipur High Court comprising Chief Justice K Somasekhar and Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh issued the directive on Monday while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Soram Tekendrajit, demanding justice for the victims and swift action against the perpetrators.advertisement
Although a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on the same day of the incident, the Court noted with concern that the NIA had failed to submit any progress report or file a charge sheet even after seven months.Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Kh Tarun Kumar urged the court to intervene, citing inaction from the investigating agency.In response, W Darakeshwor, senior public counsel representing the NIA, sought a brief adjournment and assured the bench that a detailed progress report, preferably with a charge sheet, would be submitted shortly.The court, while granting time, made it clear that continued delay will be taken seriously. The matter has been listed for the next hearing on July 24, 2025.The case had drawn widespread attention in the state, with many civil society groups demanding accountability and swift justice in the wake of the brutal killings.After months of silence on violence in the strife-torn state since the May 3, 2023 violence, the Jiribam incident reignited tension in the state.Since May 3, 2023, over 250 people have been killed and more than 60,000 have been displaced due to ethnic violence in the northeastern state.However, the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur on February 13 this year has seen renewed efforts at rehabilitation, with the government announcing a December 2025 target for the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).- EndsMust Watch