Fresh tension grips Manipur’s Imphal valley as the body of a 38-year-old man, Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, was discovered a day after he and his wife were abducted by suspected United Kuki National Army (UKNA) militants in Churachandpur district. Singh, belonging to the Meitei community, was married to Chingnu Haokip from the Kuki tribal community. The couple was taken towards Natjang village by the militants, with Singh being killed in captivity while his wife was later released.
Police revealed that Singh, who had adopted a tribal name, Ginminthang, was working in Nepal and had recently returned on leave. Before his visit, his wife had sought permission from Kuki organizations for him to stay with her in Churachandpur district for a few days. Singh’s body is currently at the Churachandpur district morgue, with an FIR filed by the police who have initiated an investigation into the incident.
Joint security forces have launched a massive search operation to apprehend those responsible for the killing. Ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in May 2023 has led to a sharp division along ethnic lines, with people from both communities largely avoiding each other’s areas. Meanwhile, the Army, along with Assam Rifles and other security forces, is conducting a joint counter-insurgency operation in Manipur’s hill districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi due to intelligence indicating the movement of UKNA militants armed with heavy weapons in the hilly areas.
