Imphal:
An ex-police officer’s home in Manipur’s Bishnupur district was ransacked by a vigilante group, the Meria Paibi. The women’s group had demanded the immediate relocation of the officer, also a woman – former Assistant Superintendent of Police Brinda Thounaojam – from Torbung area.
Brinda Thounaojam – hailed as a ‘super cop’ who took on the state’s drug mafia – had fought last year’s Assembly election from the Yaiskul constituency, on a Janata Dal (United) ticket, but was heavily defeated. The seat went to the BJP’s Thokchom Satybarta Singh.
The stand-off is over the recording a phone call that was widely shared earlier and has now resurfaced.
In it Brinda Thounaojam discusses the origin of the ethnic clash between the Kuki-Zou and Meitei communities this year. The Torbung gram panchayat, home to a cluster of Meitei villages abutting the Kuki-Chin dominated Churachndupur district, was the flash point.
In the call, the former cop seemed to blame Arambai Tenggol, a Meiti socio-cultural organisation, for inciting the Torbung clashes. The allegations prompted the Meira Paibi to attack her house, accusing her of accepting bribes to propagate a false narrative.
She was also accused of making baseless allegation against the Arambai Tenggol; the group had said they said came to Torbung to rescue villagers from the onslaught of Kuki-Zou arsonists.
This is not the first instance where Ms Thounaojam faced backlash. Her previous remarks targeting the Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun also incited widespread outrage. In October too her house was attacked. She had then apologised for her remarks, saying she had been misled by a video.
The recent incident fueled fresh anger as a senior journalist – referred to as “uncle” by Ms Thounaojam – enquired about her controversial revelations and attribution of blame for the ethnic clashes.
The situation remains tense as the demand for the former police officer’s relocation gains momentum, underscoring concerns and igniting debates about the tension within Manipur.
Earlier today members of another women’s group – Imagi Meira – forced their way into the state Assembly, confronting the Speaker to address the issue of 10 Kuki MLAs who have yet to be dismissed despite their calls for Manipur’s disintegration.
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