The Kangpokpi district police in strife-hit Manipur has warned its personnel against attending a meeting allegedly convened by a “fictitious” Kuki-Zo organisation, scheduled to be held on April 30 in Kangpokpi district.

“All concerned personnel are hereby sternly warned that the announcement made by the fictitious organisation (KAPDC) is illegal, and any uniformed personnel attending the meeting will be considered to have committed gross service misconduct. Strict disciplinary action will be initiated,” stated a notice issued by Kangpokpi police on Monday.

The notice became public on Tuesday after it was shared on the official X handle of Manipur Police.

According to the notice, the police issued the warning after learning of a proposed meeting called by the Kangchup Area Protection and Development Committee (KAPDC) under the aegis of Kuki Inpi, South West Sadar Hills. The meeting, reportedly shared on social media platforms, invited all serving personnel of Civil Police, Manipur Rifles (MR) and India Reserve Battalion (IRB) from Kuki villages in the Kangchup area to K. Ponlen village on April 30.

Kangpokpi is a Kuki-Zo majority district adjoining Imphal East and Imphal West, and has remained volatile since the outbreak of ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zos on May 3, 2023. The ongoing strife has left at least 260 people dead and displaced over 60,000.

Sources in Kangpokpi told The Telegraph that while an organisation named KAPDC does exist, claims on social media that it has called for the April 30 meeting appear to be fake.

Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February. Tensions remain high, with no free movement between the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley and Kuki-Zo-dominated hill districts. The conflict has effectively segregated the state’s two largest ethnic communities.

Earlier this year, an attempt by the state administration to resume movement between the hills and the valley under security escort led to violent clashes in Kangpokpi on March 8, resulting in one fatality.

Kuki-Zo civil society groups remain firm in their demand for a separate political administration—a Union Territory with a legislature—before any reintegration or free movement with the valley can resume.

Militants detained

Security forces have arrested four militants of a banned outfit from different areas in Imphal East district of Manipur, police said on Tuesday.

Additional inputs from PTI