Supreme Court Seeks Response Over Unnatural Deaths In Manipur Relief Camps

Taking cognizance of deaths in relief camps for the internally displaced persons post the violence on Manipur, the Supreme Court has directed the Manipur chief secretary to apprise it of the steps taken to probe the same.

The Supreme Court took up the case pertaining to Manipur Violence, an ethnic conflict that began in May 2023 which was triggered after a Manipur High Court recommendation suggesting consideration of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meitei community.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana asked why no significant steps were taken on the information provided by the Justice Gita Mittal committee relating to deaths, including unnatural ones, in relief camps.

"We direct the chief secretary of Manipur to file an affidavit on deaths, especially unnatural deaths, at relief camps in Manipur," the bench said while questioning why postmortems were conducted in 20 out of 34 cases.

Court was further told that only ₹20,000-30,000 as compensation has been paid to internally displaced persons who met with unnatural deaths while sheltered in relief camps. The CJI has also sought an explanation over this. It also directed the Manipur State Legal Services Authority to file a separate status report on the issue.

In February, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told the bench that the situation in the state had become better. "The situation is peaceful. Normal movement is happening. Local environment can be better appreciated by High Court..there is some interference from neighbouring Myanmar etc..", the SG stated.

Notably, since 2023, Supreme Court has been monitoring the situation in Manipur since May of 2023 when a video of two women being paraded naked amid the violence went viral, and it took suo motu cognisance of the issue.

Earlier Supreme Court had called out the Manipur state's police forces for carrying out a tardy investigation into the various incidents of violence that occurred throughout the state. Court had also asked the State of Manipur to make due arrangements in the relief camps organised by the government and all necessary precautions must be taken for rehabilitation of displaced persons.

Amidst tensions escalating in the State of Manipur, two Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) were filed before the Supreme Court last month against the High Court's order directing the Centre and the State governments to include the Meetei/Meitei community of the State in the Scheduled Tribe list of the Indian Constitution as a "tribe" of Manipur.

It alleged that 30 tribal persons were killed by the dominant community and 132 were not a single FIR has been filed. “Neither FIR was registered nor is there any investigation taking place as the police itself is on the side of the dominant community and has stood by idle while the killings took place”, it added.

The plea filed by Manipur Tribal Forum has sought directions to the Centre and the State to evacuate the Manipuri Tribals who fled to CRPF Lamphel Camp (3500 people), CRPF Camp near the DC office (700 people approximately), Koirengei Camp (300 people) as well as small pockets of tribals held up in Imphal (both east and west) as well as the villages surrounding Imphal Valley and take them to their respective Hill District under central forces escort to their respective areas of residence in the hill districts.

Case Title: DINGANGLUNG GANGMEI vs. MUTUM CHURAMANI MEETEI & ORS.

Bench: CJI Kant and Justice Bagchi and Justice Mohana

Hearing Date: September 17, 2026