Why is Manipur's Jiribam n Edge? Exposing SSP Colonel Nectar's Deep Involvement in Major Violent Incidents

Jiribam district, located along National Highway-37 on the Assam and Manipur border, is the latest target of violence in the northeastern State. A region with a mixed demography, Jiribam district had been relatively peaceful and largely unaffected by the state-sponsored ethnic cleansing pogrom against Kukis.

The situation, however, changed when the Meitei Senior Superintendent of Police, Colonel (Retd) Nectar Sanjenbam was given the responsibility for supervising the Jiribam Police jurisdiction in the month of June 2024.

On 14 May, 2024, a young Kuki boy Seigoulen Singson @ Bosco, S/o Seikholet of Phaitol village, Tousem Sub- division, Tamenglong District, was murdered by the Meitei militants, and his decomposed and mutilated body was later retrieved from Jiri River on 17th of May near Molzawl village. Tension ran high but instead of violent reaction, the Kukis had entrusted the district administration for justice.

In contrast, spontaneous violence erupted on June 6 when Soibam Saratkumar Singh, a 59-year-old Meitei farmer, went missing and his dead body was found later that day. He was killed by unknown miscreants but the Meiteis reacted sharply against the Kukis by burning down Kuki houses, resulting in the forced displacement of about 2,000 people belonging to both communities.

The violent incident showed that the Meitei Police Commandos along with the militants and Arambai Tenggol were deeply involved, all under the supervision of SSP, Colonel (Retd) Nectar Sanjenbam. He is the main culprit for this escalating violence and is responsible for almost all major ethnic-strifes which have been taking place in various parts of the state.

Twist of mayhem after Colonel (Retd) Nectar’s appointment as SSP:

The twist in the saga of Manipur, reeling under ethnic violence, was the special appointment of Colonel Nectar Sanjenbam (Retd) as Senior Superintendent of Police (Combat) to “strengthen and supervise” the Manipur Commandos. Bypassing the rules, the Meitei Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh had created the new post of SSP (Combat) and appointed a retired Colonel Nectar of the Indian Army’s elite 21 Para SF to fill it. The post was created on 28 August, 2023, citing a decision taken by the state cabinet on 12 June 2023. His appointment was strongly criticised by Kuki groups and activists.

Notably, even a senior police officer had said that the appointment was made after bypassing the rules. “How can a retired officer be given a sanctioned post of an SSP, when so many other offices are awaiting posting? This appointment has been made by bypassing rules for reasons best known to the government,” he had said. Another police source said that the commandos are picked by the CM office, but unofficially. It is like a “private army for the state,” the source said.

Nectar’s Stoking of the Violence at Pallen:

After his arbitrary appointment as SSP (Combat), Colonel (Retd) Nectar was given in-charge of supervising the communal Police Commandos in Kakching district. Shortly after his induction, devastating violence followed in the Kukis’ Pallen region, a small town lying between Tengnoupal and Kakching districts.

On 8 September, 2023, many of the Kuki-Zo homes and shops in Pallen—an ethnically mixed town that had not seen major violence over the past four months of ethnic conflict in the state—were burned by Meitei mobs as Manipur Police officers under Colonel (Retd) Nectar watched. More worryingly, the police acted to protect several Meiteis, dressed in the uniforms of the Manipur Police Commandoes, who had opened fire at Kuki-Zo-majority villages near Pallel, even firing mortars at churches in the town. At least three people were reportedly killed in the attack and over fifty injured.

The attackers, fully loaded in two Tata 407 trucks, passed through the Kuki village, all dressed in khaki camouflage uniforms. The men were wielding several guns, including sniper rifles, light machine guns, self- loading rifles and AK assault rifles. Logistic support with impunity was given to the attackers under the guidance of the war mongering Colonel (Retd) Nectar, and were given safe passage under his watch.

Nectar’s Stoking of the Violence at Moreh:

After Pallen violence had subsided to some extent, the controversial SSP was then transferred to supervise the Police Commandos deployed in Moreh, a border hill town dominated by the Kukis. With his devilish design of targeting the Kukis, Curfew was re-imposed in December 2023. Intermittent gunfights thus began between the Kuki Village Volunteers and Police commandos following the arbitrary arrest of Kuki civilians.

From December 2023 to January 2024, the hill town of Moreh was broiled with devastating violence until the situation was somehow mediated under the higher command of Eastern Command, Indian Army. Kuki houses were burnt down by the Police Commandos and at least three Meitei Commandos lost their lives as a result of Colonel (Retd) Nectar’s stoking tension between the two warring communities.

After his flare-up violence in Moreh, the controversial SSP Colonel (Retd) Nectar was again sent to Jiribam; after which, violence followed.

Conclusion:

It is clear that narcissists N. Biren Singh, in connivance with Colonel (Retd) Nectar, and his political cohorts are stoking conflict after conflict in their pursuit of annihilating the Kukis from their ancestral homeland. The pattern of escalating violence which had been witnessed in Pallen, Moreh and now in Jiribam shows that “wherever Colonel (Retd) Nectar goes, violence follows.” His action is disgraceful for the entire Indian Armed Forces. A gallantry awardee like Colonel Nectar’s deep involvement in various atrocities against his fellow Indian citizens is shameful.

Receiving awards like Kirti Chakra or Shourya Chakra during service and stoking communal violence or inhumane action against a particular ethnic group after retirement is an ill-repute of the service he had served and unprecedented. The Indian Army or Defence Ministry must relook on this matter and consider to forfeit the gallantry awards Nectar had received during his service.