Guwahati: The Manipur govt is examining cases of unlawful and criminal activities involving individuals in the wake of the violence that erupted in May 2023, CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh told the assembly on Monday, while clarifying that neither village volunteers in the hills and valley nor Arambai Tenggol have been declared banned organisations by the state govt.Participating in a short-duration discussion initiated by opposition MLA K Ranjit Singh, the chief minister said the unprecedented violence that began on May 3, 2023, had pushed many youths towards taking up arms. He said some may have acted with good intentions, while others could be involved in criminal acts.“The state govt has not declared Village Volunteers in both hills and valley or Arambai Tenggol as banned organisations and the police has not taken up any cases based on their affiliation to these groups,” Khemchand said, adding that arrests made by police are based on “individual level criminal activities.”Khemchand said the govt could not withdraw criminal cases registered against individuals during the crisis. He said each case would be examined separately and that the process would take time.The chief minister also said the morale of the Manipur Police has declined since the crisis began. “Now, the govt is trying to strengthen the police force,” he added.Home minister Govindas Konthoujam re-affirmed the govt’s 2024 decision not to prosecute individuals not involved in heinous crimes, citing offences such as attack on security forces, extortion and murder. He said individual cases would be studied by the govt and added that police do not harass individuals who are “alleged” to have been involved in the crisis.Konthoujam said it is the govt’s responsibility to save youths not involved in heinous crimes, dismissed Opposition allegations of harassment, and told the House that the chief minister has directed authorities to release — after questioning — individuals named in suo motu cases registered by investigating agencies, including the NIA, at the earliest.
