KIM Condemns Northeast Live Report on Pongringlon Incident, Calls It Reckless Reporting

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) has strongly condemned what it termed as highly irresponsible and biased reporting by Northeast Live in connection with the tragic killing of Chungjanglung Panmei on Monday.

In a rebuttal to the report published by Northeast Live, KIM stated that "Northeast Live's baseless ethnic smearing must stop." According to the Kuki body, the channel, in its news flash, hastily alleged the involvement of "Kuki militants" without any evidence, proof, or verification.

KIM stated that the incident took place in Pongringlon, an area with no Kuki settlement and absolutely no Kuki presence.

"To drag an entire community into the narrative with zero substantiation is not journalism; it is dangerous ethnic labelling and hate-mongering that only worsens divisions in Manipur. Northeast Live has made this a repeated habit: name-calling and community shaming without facts," the Kuki body added.

KIM stated that such reckless reporting is unacceptable and damages the credibility of the media as a whole. Urging the authorities to immediately investigate the killing with fairness and transparency, KIM also demanded that all crimes committed in Manipur since 2023 be thoroughly probed and that justice be delivered to every victim, irrespective of ethnicity or community.

"Selective justice and selective journalism will only deepen the wounds. Manipur needs truth and accountability, not propaganda," the release added.

The Kuki body also condoled the tragic killing of Chungjanglung Panmei and extended its sincere condolences to his grieving family. It added that no family should ever have to bear such a loss.