One Year On, Justice Remains Partial

One year ago today, on November 11, 2024, six Meitei civilians—three women and three children, including two infants, one aged eight months—were abducted from Borebekra in Jiribam and killed. Their bodies, mutilated and bearing signs of extreme violence, were later recovered from the Barak River. The incident was not a case of collateral damage in ethnic clashes; it was a targeted attack on non-combatants, with women and children deliberately selected as victims.

This was no accident of war. This was infanticide by design. The militants did not stumble upon children; they sought them. Mothers were bait, infants the prize. In the grim ledger of human atrocity, few crimes descend lower than the targeted slaughter of an eight-month-old who had never known a world beyond a mother’s arms.

The toddler who could barely toddle was forced to march toward death. The mothers who threw their bodies over their babies were repaid with blades across their throats. This was not collateral damage in ethnic strife. This was a war crime carved in the blood of the cradle, a flagrant violation of every unspoken code that even the most savage combatants have historically upheld: spare the women, spare the children.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered the case (RC-15/2024/NIA/IMP) and made two arrests. On July 31, 2025, Thanglienlal Hmar, alias Boya, was detained at Fulertal ferry ghat in Cachar, Assam. The same day, Lalrosang Hmar, alias Rosang, was arrested in Aizawl, Mizoram. Items recovered from the latter, including a mobile phone and SIM card, are under forensic examination.

These arrests represent progress, but the investigation is far from complete. The full chain of command, logistical support, and any wider network involved in planning and executing the killings must be identified and prosecuted.

The Jiribam Development Organisation has called for a candlelight observance at 7:00 PM today across Manipur and beyond. This is a fitting moment for reflection, but it must also serve as a measure of resolve.

For the Meitei community, participation is not merely symbolic—it is a public affirmation that the demand for accountability has not weakened. A low turnout or muted response would signal that the passage of time has dulled the urgency of justice, which cannot be allowed.The state and central governments bear clear responsibility.

The NIA must widen its probe without regard to political sensitivities or inter-state complexities. Every individual linked to the crime—whether through direct action, incitement, or facilitation—must face the law. Delays or selective pursuit will only deepen mistrust and prolong the cycle of grievance.

Manipur has endured too many such tragedies. The Jiribam killings stand out for their brutality and the vulnerability of the victims. Remembering them is necessary; securing justice is non-negotiable.

This is not a ritual. This is a reckoning.If your flame does not ignite tonight, if your hands do not tremble as you strike the match, if your lips do not form the words “Justice for the Jiribam Six”—you have forgotten. You have failed the infants. You have failed the mothers. You have failed Manipur.

But if your candle burns steady against the November chill, if you share the names Thanglienlal Hmar and Lalrosang Hmar and demand the next, if you refuse to let ethnic fault lines or political games bury this truth, you are still fighting. You are the voice the eight-month-old cannot raise. You are the justice the mothers died demanding.

Tonight’s candles should illuminate not just memory, but the path forward to a thorough and impartial investigation.The eight-month-old infant, the toddler, and the three mothers deserve nothing less.

Signpost Editorial

Enjoy the Editorial of Signpost News, edited every Tuesday.