Meitei Man Kidnapped and Shot Dead By Armed Men, in Manipur's Churachandpur

A man from the Meitei community was shot dead after being abducted by suspected Kuki militants in Churachandpur district.

A man from the Meitei community was kidnapped by unknown armed individuals in Churachandpur district and subsequently killed. The man had been residing with his wife for the last month in a village within Churachandpur district, dominated by the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur, was shot dead on Wednesday evening, and the act was captured on video and circulated.

The disturbing video capturing the moments before the killing, allegedly showing the victim begging for his life has gone viral, provoking police to start an investigation.

The victim was identified as Mayanglambam Rishikanta, a resident of Kakching district. Rishikanta married a Kuki woman from Churachandpur and took on a tribal identity, Ginminthang. Officials stated that he had come back to Churachandpur from Nepal on a brief leave from his employment. Authorities reported they were informed around 10:30 pm on Wednesday that Rishikanta had been abducted earlier that evening by unknown assaulters and was shot dead.

Meitei groups suspected that Rishikanta was taken away together with his wife, who is part of the Kuki community. They additionally claimed that his wife had requested prior approval from the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and local officials in the Tuibuong area for her husband's visit, since he was employed in Nepal and had returned home on leave.

Members of the Meitei and Kuki communities have largely avoided entering each other’s areas since the violence broke out in May 2023. This incident left Manipur deeply divided along ethnic lines. Over 260 individuals have lost their lives, and thousands have been forced to flee due to the ongoing conflict. The abductors are believed to be part of the United Kuki National Army (UNKA), a militant organization that has not signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact established between the Manipur government and various Kuki-Zo armed factions.

This murder occurs during a time of relative peace in Manipur, almost a year into President’s rule in the region and amidst talks regarding the reestablishment of a popular government, as noted in the text included with the murder video. President's rule in the state will complete one year on February 14, and discussions and efforts are ongoing to create an agreement for establishing a popular government in the state.