Manipur Violence: Bodies Of Two Abducted Kuki Men Recovered In Kangpokpi After Five Days

The bodies of two Kuki men who were abducted five days ago in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district were recovered by a joint team of security forces on Sunday, officials aware of the matter said.

The deceased, identified as Paoginlal Hangshing, 20, and Tinginlun Chongloi, 21, had been missing since October 28. Officials suspect they were abducted while travelling between Hengbung and Taphou villages.

Joint teams of Manipur Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles had launched multiple operations to trace the two men. Their bodies were recovered during an extensive search operation on Sunday.

Joint Search Operation Launched Along SP Road

“In continuation of these operations, an extensive joint search operation was conducted [on Sunday] by joint teams comprising Manipur Police, CoBRA, CRPF, Assam Rifles and RAF in the general area east of NH-2, along the SP Road,” the police said.

SP Road is a hilly stretch connecting Senapati and Kangpokpi districts. Police said combing operations would continue in the area to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killings.

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a prominent Kuki-Zo organisation, had called a total shutdown across Kangpokpi district from October 29, a day after the two men went missing. The outfit had demanded their unconditional release.

The recovery of the bodies comes a day after three members of the Kuki community were killed in a gunfight in Manipur’s Noney district, further escalating concerns over the security situation in the state.

Manipur Continues To Reel Under Ethnic Violence

Manipur has witnessed prolonged ethnic violence since May 2023, when clashes broke out between the state's dominant Meitei community and the tribal Kuki community.

The violence has since spread across communities and districts, leading to a breakdown of law and order, the emergence of ethnic enclaves and the division of areas along community lines.

Nearly 368 people have been killed and around 66,000 displaced since the clashes began, while the state's social and administrative divisions remain deeply entrenched.