GUWAHATI: Security forces recovered the mutilated bodies of two missing Kuki youths from Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Sunday morning, triggering protests by villagers.
Thangginlun Chongloi (21) and Paoginlal Hangsing (20), both residents of Taphou Kuki village in Kangpokpi, were reported missing on October 28. The Kuki organisation Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) alleged that the two had been abducted by Naga rebels.
According to reports, the bodies, stuffed into gunny bags, were recovered from a banana plantation in the adjoining Naga-majority Senapati district during a joint search operation by security forces.
A violent confrontation broke out between villagers and security forces when the bodies were being transported to Kangpokpi. Security personnel used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd, with some villagers allegedly sustaining injuries.
CoTU demanded the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, a Naga leader representing the Mao constituency in Senapati district; the withdrawal of all NSCN-IM camps located in the district; the transfer of the investigation into the killings to the National Investigation Agency (NIA); and the immediate arrest of those responsible.
The organisation threatened that the bodies would not be claimed until these demands were met.
Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, who belongs to the Kuki-Zo community, expressed shock over the "brutal" killings.
"What began with hopes for their safe return has ended in a tragedy. Both lost their lives at a very young age, with so much of life ahead of them. My deepest condolences go out to their families," Kipgen said in a statement.
She further stated that the "heinous crime" must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible brought to justice without delay. She also appealed to everyone not to allow the incident to trigger further violence.
On Saturday, three persons from the Kuki-Zo community were killed in a gunfight between armed groups in the state's Noney district, police said. However, the Kuki Inpi Manipur alleged that they had been "murdered" by NSCN-IM and ZUF-K rebels.
"The continued free rein given to these armed groups, combined with the government's persistent failure to protect Kuki-Zo settlements in Noney district and across the region, has created a lawless sanctuary for terror," the organisation stated.
Amid continuing violence, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh renewed his appeal for peace, urging all communities to work together to make Manipur a peaceful state.
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