The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on Thursday, January 22, strongly condemned the killing of Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, describing it as a brutal crime and accusing the Central government of failing to rein in armed militant groups operating in the conflict-hit state. The organization said prolonged inaction by the Centre has pushed the situation beyond acceptable limits. Addressing a press conference at COCOMI’s office, senior member Y.K. Dhiren said the killing occurred at a time when various sections of society, including civil society organizations, are making sustained efforts to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur.
“Despite sincere initiatives by civil society and peace groups, such a tragic and brutal incident has taken place. This is deeply unfortunate and highlights the worsening security situation,” Dhiren said. He noted that more than 60,000 security personnel have been deployed in the state to deal with the ongoing unrest but alleged that the forces have failed to curb the movement and activities of armed militants, leading to continued civilian casualties. “Armed militants are allegedly moving freely and using sophisticated weapons, while the government appears to be a mute spectator instead of taking decisive action,” Dhiren said, adding that the situation has reached a breaking point. “Enough is enough.”
COCOMI also questioned the effectiveness of the deployment of central and paramilitary forces in protecting civilians. “If these forces cannot safeguard innocent lives, their presence serves little purpose,” Dhiren said, controversially suggesting that the forces should withdraw and return only after normalcy is restored. The organization reiterated its demand for immediate and decisive intervention by the Government of India to fix accountability, restore law and order, and prevent further loss of civilian lives in Manipur. Meanwhile, security agencies have not issued any official response to COCOMI’s allegations. Investigations into the killing of Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh are currently underway.
