Editorial || When the State Fails to Protect, Who will Protect the Civilians

Since March 2026, the reported killing of Kuki civilians in Manipur has raised a deeply troubling question: What does the right to life mean when the State appears incapable of protecting those whose lives are under threat?

According to figures maintained by Kuki civil society organisations (CSOs), 35 Kuki civilians have reportedly been killed since March this year. Among them are 11 women, including two pregnant mothers. Every number is a representation of a Kuki community increasingly anxious about who might become the next victim.

These are not incidents that can simply be dismissed as unfortunate consequences of an ongoing conflict. The recurring reports of civilian killings, coupled with concerns over the apparent absence of effective preventive measures, demand serious scrutiny of the State's security response.

The responsibility for maintaining law and order rests squarely with the State Government and its administrative and police machinery. The District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police in Kangpokpi, Noney, Senapati and Tamenglong have important responsibilities in ensuring the safety of civilians within their respective jurisdictions. The State and District administration must demonstrate that every reasonable measure has been taken to protect vulnerable populations.

The question, therefore, is about why these killings continue, and also about what action has been taken to prevent them. Have security arrangements been reviewed? Have vulnerable routes been identified? Have possible intelligence failures been examined? And where repeated incidents point towards lapses in security, who is being held accountable?

Government officers cannot be expected to prevent every act of violence, but neither can they be allowed to treat recurring civilian deaths as routine law-and-order incidents. Administrative responsibility must mean taking appropriate tangible actions after lives have already been lost.

Blockades, alleged denial of medical access and the cost of inaction

Till today there are restrictions on Kuki civilian movements allegedly imposed by the United Naga Council (UNC) and certain Naga villages, including Chawangkiningand Thonglang Atongba. Of particular concern are allegations that these restrictions have affected patients, ambulances and medical teams attempting to reach people in need of urgent medical attention.

The reported deaths of two infant girls, three-month-old Baby Hoidamdei of Thenjang village and Baby Themneikimof Songjang-Pakang village, allegedly following obstruction of medical access, should trouble the conscience of every responsible citizen. The precise circumstances surrounding these deaths must be independently established.

However, if medical assistance was indeed obstructed, it raises serious questions about the treatment of vulnerable civilians and the responsibility of those involved.

Whatever the political or territorial disagreements between communities, denying a sick child access to medical treatment cannot be justified under any circumstances.

No political demand is worth the life of an infant. No blockade, however deeply rooted its political grievances may be, should become a barrier between a critically ill patient and a hospital.

The incident of August 27, 2026, involving an attack on a medical team travelling from Kangpokpi towards PHC T. Waichong, is another matter of grave concern. According to reports, the team was allegedly intercepted and assaulted by a mob at Chawangkining village, despite travelling under security escort. Three medical personnel, including a doctor, reportedly sustained injuries, while three ambulances were vandalised and medicines worth lakhs of rupees were allegedly destroyed.

If these reports are substantiated, the incident raises serious questions about the safety of healthcare workers and the effectiveness of security arrangements. If even a medical team travelling under security escort can reportedly be attacked, what confidence can ordinary civilians have when travelling through these areas?

The reported killings of pregnant women and unborn children make the situation even more heartbreaking. At a time when governments speak of women's empowerment, maternal health and the protection of the girl child, the reported loss of women and infants in a conflict-ridden state exposes the distance between these commitments and the realities faced by vulnerable civilians.

Civilian protection is not a political favour

The protection of civilians is not merely a matter of administrative discretion. It is a fundamental obligation of the State and a principle recognised under international humanitarian law.

Common Article 3 of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 establishes minimum protections for persons taking no active part in hostilities, prohibiting murder, cruel treatment and outrages upon personal dignity. It also requires that the wounded and sick be collected and cared for. These principles are particularly relevant where a situation meets the threshold of a non-international armed conflict, alongside applicable customary international humanitarian law governing medical care and humanitarian relief.

The principle is straightforward: civilians must be protected, the wounded and sick must receive medical attention, and humanitarian assistance must not be obstructed.

Yet, the response to repeated incidents of violence continues to appear largely reactive. Condemnations, FIRs and appeals for peace have their place, but they cannot substitute for preventive security measures, effective investigations and visible accountability.

The Kuki civilian population deserves clear answers from both the State Government and the Government of India. At the very least, the following measures can no longer be postponed.

First, the Government must issue a comprehensive civilian safety advisory. 

People travelling through vulnerable and conflict-affected areas should not be left to depend entirely on rumours, personal contacts or their own assessment of security threats. The police must identify unsafe routes, suggest safer alternatives, provide emergency contact numbers and establish clear procedures for requesting security escorts. Particular attention must be given to women, children, students, elderly persons and patients requiring medical treatment.

It is deeply unfortunate that citizens may have to be advised on how to avoid being killed while travelling within their own State. But if the authorities cannot immediately guarantee their safety, they must at least provide timely and practical information to minimise the risks.

Second, uninterrupted medical and humanitarian access must be guaranteed.

The Government should identify and secure humanitarian corridors connecting vulnerable villages with hospitals and healthcare facilities. Ambulances and medical teams must be provided with adequate security escorts wherever necessary. Emergency evacuation arrangements should be put in place, particularly for pregnant women, infants and critically ill patients.

No organisation, village authority or group should be allowed to arbitrarily prevent the movement of patients or medical personnel. Those found responsible for deliberately obstructing emergency medical assistance must be identified and dealt with in accordance with law.

The reported deaths of two infant girls must not become another forgotten chapter in Manipur's continuing tragedy.

Third, an independent investigation into the reported killings of Kuki civilians since March 2026 is necessary.

A high-level investigation mechanism should examine each incident, establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths, identify those responsible and determine whether intelligence or security failures contributed to the loss of lives. It must also examine whether timely intervention by the authorities could have prevented these incidents.

The exercise should go beyond the routine registration of FIRs against unidentified persons. There must be tangible progress in identifying perpetrators, establishing their networks and bringing those responsible to justice. Where negligence, dereliction of duty or failure to act is established, accountability must follow.

Fourth, the reported deaths of the two infant girls and the alleged obstruction of medical access deserve independent scrutiny.

The National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights should examine these incidents and establish the circumstances in which the children were allegedly denied timely medical assistance.

The investigation must establish who imposed or enforced the restrictions, whether the authorities were informed about the medical emergencies, what steps were taken by the police and district administration, and whether timely intervention could have saved the children.

The United Naga Council and the concerned village authorities should also be called upon to clarify their respective roles in the reported restrictions on civilian and medical movement. Any allegations of involvement in obstructing emergency medical assistance must be independently examined. No organisation should be beyond scrutiny when allegations involve the obstruction of humanitarian assistance and the loss of innocent lives.

Finally, the reported killings of women, particularly pregnant mothers, must receive special attention.

The National Commission for Women should take suo motu cognisance of the reported killings of Kuki women and seek detailed reports from the concerned authorities. The investigations must examine the circumstances of these deaths, including any indication of ethnic or gender-based targeting.

The reported deaths of pregnant women represent not only the loss of their lives but also the possible loss of unborn children. These tragedies deserve more than a passing mention in official reports.

The State must answer for the lives it is entrusted to protect

The people of Manipur have endured years of violence, displacement and uncertainty. The Kuki-Zo population, like every other community in the State, is entitled to live without the constant fear of being shot, abducted or assaulted, or of being denied access to essential medical care because of their identity.

It is deeply disturbing that civilians are still compelled to ask basic questions: Which roads are safe? Can an ambulance reach a hospital without being stopped? Can a medical team perform its duties without being attacked? Can a pregnant woman or a critically ill child be transported to a healthcare facility without putting their life at further risk?

These are questions that should never have arisen in India.