The Supreme Court has directed the Manipur chief secretary to provide an affidavit on deaths, including unnatural deaths, in relief camps for internally displaced persons, following a report by the Justice Gita Mittal committee. The court expressed shock over the deaths and demanded action on the findings.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, questioned why no significant steps had been taken on the information provided by the committee. The court specifically highlighted the lack of postmortems in 16 of 34 death cases and the low compensation paid to families of those who died unnaturally.

The order came after the court reviewed reports indicating over 30 deaths in relief camps, including one case of alleged sexual assault. The court also urged the Manipur State Legal Services Authority to ensure FIRs are registered and investigated in all unnatural death cases, and to safeguard the dignity and safety of displaced persons.

The court expressed hope that two special trial courts, set up to handle CBI and NIA cases from the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur, would conclude their trials quickly. The details of these cases were provided by the state government and Dattatray Padsalgikar, a former IPS officer monitoring the CBI probe.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati reported that the CBI has investigated 31 cases, with final reports filed in 28. Three cases remain under investigation. The state has also set up 42 SITs, which have lodged 3,020 cases, with chargesheets filed in 302 matters. Closure reports were filed in 1,583 cases, and 1,135 cases are still under probe. Trials have begun in 33 cases.

The ethnic violence in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, following a tribal solidarity march protesting for Scheduled Tribe status. Over 200 people have been killed, hundreds injured, and thousands displaced since then. The court's intervention highlights the ongoing concerns over the treatment of displaced persons and the need for accountability.

The court's directive underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for transparency and action. The exact number of deaths and the circumstances surrounding each case remain unclear, with further details expected from the state government and legal authorities.