Kuki Inpi Demands Temporary Jail & Air Services for Kangpokpi

Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) has appealed to the Government of Manipur to urgently establish a temporary jail facility in Kangpokpi district, transfer Kuki-Zo inmates currently lodged in Imphal and Senapati jails, and introduce emergency chopper services to improve connectivity and humanitarian access in conflict-affected areas.

In a memorandum submitted through the Deputy Commissioner of Kangpokpi on May 16, 2026, KIM highlighted the growing humanitarian and security challenges faced by Kuki-Zo communities amid the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state. The organization stated that the absence of a functional jail facility in Kangpokpi has resulted in many inmates from Kangpokpi and adjoining hill districts being housed in prisons located in Imphal and Senapati.

According to the memorandum, the prevailing security situation and communal tensions have made these locations increasingly unsafe for Kuki-Zo detainees and their families. KIM argued that the continued detention of inmates outside their home district poses concerns regarding their safety, dignity, and access to legal and family support.

The organization has requested the government to establish or designate a temporary jail within Kangpokpi district and transfer all Kuki-Zo inmates currently housed in Imphal and Senapati prisons to the proposed facility.

KIM has also sought the immediate introduction of emergency chopper or air transport services connecting Kangpokpi to Silchar via Churachandpur, Kangpokpi to Dimapur, and Tengnoupal to Churachandpur. The organization said such services would facilitate essential civilian movement, medical emergencies, humanitarian access, official duties, and other unavoidable travel needs during the ongoing crisis.

The memorandum further stated that conflict conditions have severely affected road connectivity between several districts, making travel difficult and, in some areas, virtually impossible. KIM emphasized that many affected communities remain isolated and face challenges in accessing emergency medical care, legal services, and humanitarian assistance.

Expressing its willingness to cooperate with the administration, KIM assured support in facilitating temporary jail arrangements, inmate transfers, logistical coordination, and humanitarian assistance. The organization urged the authorities to treat the matter as an urgent humanitarian and security concern and to initiate immediate action in coordination with the relevant departments and higher authorities.