Manipur Violence: Meitei Man Killed After Abduction In Churachandpur

A Meitei man was shot dead after being abducted by suspected Kuki militants in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, marking a fresh escalation in the ethnic tensions that have gripped the state since May 2023.

According to PTI, Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh was taken from his residence in the Tuibong area on Wednesday and later killed near Natjang village, police officials said. The abductors are suspected to be members of the United Kuki National Army (UNKA), a militant outfit that is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.

The SoO pact was signed between the Centre, the Manipur government and several Kuki-Zo militant groups, PTI reported.

Singh, originally from Kakching Khunou in Kakching district, was married to a Kuki woman, Chingnu Haokip, from Churachandpur. After his marriage, he adopted a tribal name, Ginminthang. Local sources told PTI that Singh had returned to Churachandpur from Nepal on January 19.

He had been permitted to stay with his wife by certain local groups, they said.

Police said both Singh and his wife were abducted and taken towards Natjang village in the Henglep police station area, where Singh was suspected to have been shot dead. His wife was later released.

Kukis and Meiteis have largely stopped entering each other’s areas since violence erupted in May 2023, leaving Manipur sharply divided along ethnic lines. More than 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the ongoing hostilities, according to PTI.

A purported video of the incident circulated widely on social media, showing Singh pleading for his life with folded hands moments before he was shot by armed men.

Police said the body was recovered from Natjang village after they received information about the killing. It was brought to the district hospital morgue at around 1.30 am.

A suo motu case has been registered, and efforts are underway to identify and arrest those responsible, police said.

(With inputs from PTI)