In response to the killing of three individuals from the Hmar community—Joshua Hmar, Lalbiekkung Hmar, and Lallungawi Hmar—by Assam Police, large-scale protest rallies were organized by the Kuki tribes across various regions of Manipur and the Haflong area of Cachar district in Assam.

The protests saw significant participation in districts such as Moreh, Chandel, Tengnoupal, and Churachandpur, with demonstrators demanding justice and a thorough investigation into the incident. The community’s call for accountability and transparency was strongly voiced, with leaders urging authorities to take immediate action to address their concerns and prevent such incidents from recurring.

While one of the deceased youths was from Manipur, the other two were residents of a village along Assam’s border with Manipur. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the three youths as militants in a post on X, stating, “In an early morning operation, @cacharpolice killed 3 Hmar militants from Assam and neighboring Manipur. Police also seized 2 AK rifles, 1 other rifle, and 1 pistol.”

Several Hmar community organizations have denounced the killings, referring to them as “extrajudicial” deaths, and have called on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to take suo motu cognizance of the incident.