…Sanajaoba was not a criminal but a village volunteer who had served his community during the ongoing crisis. That such an individual could die in judicial custody—and the state respond with silence—should deeply concern everyone.
By Haorungbam Boicha (Ashirjit)
Manipur is no stranger to reports of custodial deaths. For the past two years, the state has been engulfed in a violent ethnic conflict that has pushed the rule of law to the brink. Amid this turmoil, the recent custodial death of 27-year-old Khoisnam Sanajaoba is not just another statistic—it is a chilling reminder of the deep, systemic rot in the state’s law enforcement and justice systems.
Sanajaoba, a resident of Khurai Ningthoubung Leikai, was arrested on March 31 on suspicion of links with the proscribed outfit KCP (Noyon). By April 13, he was dead. Authorities claim he suffered from a pre-existing medical condition. His family, however, points to unmistakable signs of torture on his body. In a state already teetering on the edge, his death in judicial custody has reignited long-standing fears of unchecked police brutality and institutional impunity.
What followed was a disturbing silence. No explanation, no reassurance, and no transparency from the authorities. This deafening silence has only fuelled public anger and distrust. In protest, the people of Khurai have refused to collect Sanajaoba’s body, standing firm in their demand for justice.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), formed by residents of his locality, has taken up the cause. Pressing for justice and accountability, the JAC held a sit-in demonstration at Khurai Lamlong Market on April 17. They submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Bhalla, urging him to register a case of murder against the concerned officials and demanding an independent probe by the CBI or a judicial inquiry by a sitting or retired High Court judge, and full transparency around the post-mortem process, including access to unedited videography of the examination. They also demanded ex gratia compensation for the bereaved family and the provision of a government job for the next of kin—basic steps that the state owes to the grieving family. These are not demands born of paranoia, but of lived experience in a state where justice is often delayed—or denied.
The JAC maintained that the custodial death of a person constitutes a heinous crime against humanity. Citing precedents, the JAC pointed out that the Supreme Court, in numerous custodial death cases, has heavily come down on erring officials, ruling that such actions infringe upon the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Officials responsible for arrest, investigation, police remand, judicial custody, and the care of undertrial prisoners are duty-bound to uphold the rule of law—a responsibility that, the JAC asserts, was blatantly violated in Sanajaoba’s case.
According to the JAC, Sanajaoba was a simple and hardworking individual. He was married, living with his 21-year-old wife and their three-year-old son, running a car wash shop to support his family and parents. As the only male child among three sisters, Sanajaoba had no criminal antecedents and was reportedly in good health prior to his arrest. His sudden and suspicious death has caused immense suffering to his family and alarm among the general public.
In response to the state government’s inaction, the JAC took out a Meira rally on April 20. They announced a 24-hour statewide bandh beginning from the night of April 24, protesting what it describes as the administration’s “deliberate silence” and failure to respond to a memorandum submitted on April 17. For the JAC, the bandh is not just a protest—it is a demand for dignity in death and accountability in governance.
The committee also noted that Sanajaoba was not a criminal but a village volunteer who had served his community during the ongoing crisis. That such an individual could die in judicial custody—and the state respond with silence—should deeply concern everyone.
Tragically, Sanajaoba’s case is not an isolated incident. Manipur’s recent history is marred by a series of custodial deaths, including the cases of Arambam Nanao in 2022 and Abdul Gaffar in 2018, both of which occurred while under police watch. Each case followed a similar, distressing pattern: questionable arrests, allegations of torture, a lack of timely medical care, and ultimately, no accountability.
These deaths echo the outrage that swept Manipur after the controversial killing of Thangjam Manorama Devi in 2004 by Assam Rifles personnel. Her brutal death led to massive protests, with civil society groups, the Meira Paibis (women’s organizations), and students demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. In a powerful act of resistance, 12 elderly women staged a nude demonstration in front of Kangla Fort, then an Assam Rifles headquarters, holding banners reading, “Indian Army Rape Us” and “Take Our Flesh.”
The question now is stark: how many more deaths, how many more protests, before the system acknowledges its failures?
Custodial deaths are not mere administrative lapses—they are moral failings. Every life lost in custody without justice chips away at the foundations of democracy, erodes public trust, fuels unrest, and deepens the divide between the state and its citizens.
This state of affairs cannot be allowed to persist.
The Manipur government and the Centre need to act decisively: initiate an impartial investigation, suspend the officials involved pending inquiry, ensure a transparent and independent post-mortem, and, above all, pursue urgent systemic reforms in law enforcement. Accountability must be the standard—not an exception.
Civil society, human rights defenders, and every concerned citizen must remain vigilant and vocal. Silence is not neutrality—it is complicity. And complicity, left unchecked, breeds more injustice.
Sanajaoba’s death must not become just another forgotten number. Let it mark the moment when we, as a society, finally said: no more.
(Haorungbam Boicha (Ashirjit) is a political activist and can be contacted at [email protected])