Five Kuki men killed in Manipur within 24 hours
The deaths occurred amid rising tensions and protests across the state involving Meitei, Naga, and Kuki communities.
Five men from the Kuki community were killed in Manipur within a 24-hour period, according to reports from Scroll and Deccan Herald. Three men were killed during gunfire between unidentified armed groups in Noney district on Saturday, while the bodies of two youths missing since October 28 were recovered on Sunday.
The two youths, identified as 21-year-old Thangginlun Congloi and 20-year-old Paoginlal Hangsing, were found by security forces near NH-2 in an area connecting the Senapati district, the Manipur Police stated in a social media post. The victims had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village in Senapati.
The three men killed on Saturday were identified as Thanglensang Singson, Thangkhosei Haokip, and Lamminsang Kipgen, all from Churachandpur district, the Hindustan Times reported. The Kuki Inpi Manipur stated the three men were village volunteers and claimed their deaths resulted from the state's failure to provide security to Kuki-Zo communities.
Kuki organisations have alleged the involvement of the Naga armed group NSCN-IM in the killings, though the group has denied any involvement. The Kuki Human Rights Forum has called for a formal investigation into the attacks.
These fatalities come as Meitei and Naga organisations held rallies in Imphal and various hill districts to demand the termination of the Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki-Zo militant groups. Both Deputy Chief Ministers, Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho, condemned the killings.