The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up the Manipur government for asking the court not to take up a plea related to the alleged extra-judicial killings in the state as the National Human Rights Commission is examining those cases. "You are trying to use NHRC as alibi," said a bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai.

Expressing its displeasure over the contentions of state, which tried to justify harsh measures taken by it in view of militancy in the state, it said, “Is it a war going on? Are they engaged in war? Your men killing theirs and their men killing yours? Is this the orientation of the state?”

Manipur in its affidavit had said 30 extremist groups are operating in the state and are indulging in violent activities.