Supreme Court: Manipur Relief Camp Deaths Affidavit Demanded

• The Supreme Court expressed shock over numerous deaths, including unnatural ones, in Manipur relief camps.
• Manipur's Chief Secretary and State Legal Services Authority have been directed to file affidavits and status reports on these deaths and compensation.
• The Court questioned why only 20 out of 34 death cases had post-mortems and sought an explanation for low compensation amounts.
• These directives are part of an ongoing suo motu case concerning the Manipur violence, which began in May 2023.
• Related petitions allege tribal deaths without FIRs and police inaction, with a plea for tribal evacuation to hill districts.

The Supreme Court recently expressed profound concern regarding numerous deaths, including those deemed unnatural, occurring within relief camps established for internally displaced persons in Manipur.

The Supreme Court recently expressed profound concern regarding numerous deaths, including those deemed unnatural, occurring within relief camps established for internally displaced persons in Manipur. During a hearing, the bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi, and V Mohana, questioned the lack of substantial action taken on information previously provided by the Justice Gita Mittal committee concerning these fatalities. The Court specifically directed the Manipur Chief Secretary to submit an affidavit detailing the deaths, particularly unnatural ones, and outlining the investigative steps undertaken.

Further scrutiny was applied to the post-mortem examinations, with the Court noting that only 20 out of 34 cases had undergone such procedures. The Chief Justice also sought an explanation regarding the compensation amounts, which reportedly ranged from ₹20,000 to ₹30,000, paid to internally displaced persons who died unnaturally while residing in these temporary shelters. In addition to the Chief Secretary's affidavit, the Manipur State Legal Services Authority was instructed to file its own status report on the matter, providing a separate account of the situation.

These recent directives form part of the Supreme Court's ongoing suo motu case, initiated in 2023, which addresses the widespread ethnic conflict in Manipur. The violence, which erupted in May 2023, was initially sparked by a recommendation from the Manipur High Court suggesting that the Meitei community be considered for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The Supreme Court has been actively monitoring the situation since a video depicting two women being paraded naked went viral in May 2023, prompting its suo motu cognizance of the issue.

Previously, the apex court had criticized the Manipur state police forces for what it described as tardy investigations into various incidents of violence across the state. It had also issued instructions to the State of Manipur to ensure adequate arrangements in government-organized relief camps and to implement necessary precautions for the rehabilitation of displaced individuals. Despite these concerns, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench in February that the situation in the state had improved, describing it as peaceful with normal movement, though he noted some interference from neighboring Myanmar.

The broader context of the Manipur violence also includes other significant legal challenges. Last month, two Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) were filed before the Supreme Court, contesting the High Court's order that directed both the Central and State governments to consider including the Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list of the Indian Constitution. These petitions brought forth serious allegations, claiming that 30 tribal individuals were killed by the dominant community and 132 were injured, yet not a single First Information Report (FIR) had been registered.

The petitioners further alleged that police forces were complicit, siding with the dominant community and remaining idle during the killings, thereby obstructing any investigation. One of these pleas, filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum, specifically sought directions for the Centre and State to facilitate the evacuation of Manipuri tribals from various camps, including CRPF Lamphel Camp (housing 3,500 people), CRPF Camp near the DC office (approximately 700 people), and Koirengei Camp (300 people), as well as smaller groups in Imphal and surrounding villages. The plea requested that these individuals be escorted by central forces to their respective residences in the hill districts. The case, titled DINGANGLUNG GANGMEI vs. MUTUM CHURAMANI MEETEI & ORS., was heard by the bench of CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi, and Justice Mohana on September 17, 2026, during which the directives mentioned in this article were issued.

Lawyers involved in human rights or public interest litigation concerning the Manipur violence should closely monitor the upcoming affidavits and reports from the Chief Secretary and State Legal Services Authority. These documents will detail state actions regarding deaths and compensation in relief camps, potentially revealing new avenues for accountability or legal recourse for victims and their families.

Source: Reporting based on legal news coverage.