UKHRUL, AUG 18: Representatives of the Sihai Khunou Public Council addressed media persons at the Ukhrul Press Club in Winotang on Tuesday, condemning what they described as a horrific broad-daylight attempted murder and expressing outrage over alleged police inaction and prolonged delays in prosecuting the perpetrators.
According to a press statement released by the council’s media cell, the incident occurred on May 12, 2026, at approximately 12:15 pm inside the Sihai Khunou village community hall during the conduct of the MGNREGS chairmanship election. The election process was being officially supervised on-site by a five-member team from the MIS department, along with six deployed police personnel.
Addressing the press, Tharmi Shimray, former chairman of MGNREGS for Sihai Khunou, gave a detailed account of the sequence of events. He explained that the election was officially scheduled following a notification issued on May 5, 2026, to ensure a democratic transition, as the previous chairman had been chosen by the Village Authority.
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However, as proceedings were set to commence at noon, the village mantri reportedly attempted to intimidate the public and prevent the election from taking place.
When a local youth, identified as Khalatza Shimray, stood up to address the gathering, he was immediately struck with a stone. An armed group then allegedly launched an unprovoked mob attack using stones and wooden bars, severely beating and kicking him.
The council alleged that one of the accused, identified as Khungshan Shimray, actively incited the mob to assault Tharmi Shimray as well. Khalatza sustained severe lacerations to his head and body and was subsequently rushed to the district hospital for emergency medical treatment.
The assailants allegedly pursued the victims to their residences following the initial assault, issuing open threats of further violence.
The council expressed strong indignation that the violent assault took place directly in front of deployed police personnel, MIS officials and members of the public who had gathered for the election.
Victims and council members stated that when they approached the police station at around 4:30 pm on May 12 to file a complaint, authorities initially refused to register an FIR, recording only a General Diary entry (GD No. 15/UKL-PS/2026).
A formal First Information Report (FIR No. 06(06)/2026 UKL-PS) under Sections 117, 131 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered nearly four weeks later, on June 7, 2026.
Despite the registration of the FIR, the council alleged that the police have made no arrests, allowing the accused to roam free and allegedly continue issuing threats to the complainants and their families.
“Even now, the people who lodged the FIR, including myself, are under constant life threats,” Tharmi Shimray stated. “The affected families cannot go about their daily lives freely and cannot even return to their own homes in fear. How can violent criminals be allowed to roam free? We appeal to higher competent authorities to intervene immediately.”
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Warning that systemic lapses and inaction could foster a dangerous culture of impunity, the Sihai Khunou Public Council submitted a three-point charter of demands:
- The prompt arrest and rigorous legal prosecution of all individuals involved in the assault and mob incitement.
- A transparent, high-level inquiry into the policing failure that allowed a daylight attack to occur in the presence of deployed personnel.
- A formal departmental investigation into the procedural delays, the initial refusal to lodge the FIR and the overall handling of the case by the responsible police personnel.
Reiterating that “justice delayed is justice denied”, the council urged the district administration and senior law enforcement authorities to intervene decisively, ensure accountability and guarantee the safety and security of the affected villagers.
Sihai Khunou was granted a separate patta from Sihai Khullen in 2003, along with its own chairmanship, and now has approximately 160 households. Villagers noted that the village has had no chairman since the tenure of its last chairman, Ngathingpam Shimray.
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