Manipur: Kuki CSO condemns killing of two men in Ukhrul, announces shutdown

The Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul, has condemned the killing of two Kuki men whose bodies were recovered on March 12, describing the incident as a “barbaric and inhumane act”.

The victims, identified as Thenkhogin Baite and Thangboimang Lunkim, were reportedly found blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs. According to the committee, the bodies bore signs of severe assault with sharp objects before the victims were shot dead.

A joint search team comprising villagers from Shangkai and Thowai villages, along with personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF), recovered the bodies around 8:30 am on March 12, the committee said.

The bodies were later taken to Imphal under police escort on the evening of March 12 for post-mortem examination.

Expressing concern over the handling of the case, the committee alleged that authorities and security forces “failed to make serious efforts” to locate the two men when they were reported missing. It also criticised the explanation that the victims could not be traced due to the absence of mobile phones, calling it an “unacceptable lapse at a time when lives were at risk”.

Describing the killings as a “horrific crime”, the committee said the agitation would continue until justice is delivered.

It further stated that the bodies of the victims would not be claimed until the perpetrators are identified, arrested and awarded “capital punishment”.

The committee demanded that the case be registered and investigated by either Saikul or Kangpokpi Police, stating that the Kuki community has “lost faith in the Ukhrul Police”.

Calling for a transparent and impartial probe, the organisation also urged that the case be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The committee appealed to the Central government to take swift action to deliver justice and urged authorities to demonstrate the same urgency shown during the extraction of 21 Tangkhul travellers by the administration led by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

Raising concerns over the safety of Kuki residents in Ukhrul district, the committee said the community now feels “deeply threatened” despite earlier coexisting peacefully with the Tangkhul community.

It demanded the relocation of Kuki villages in Ukhrul to Kangpokpi district to ensure the “safety and protection” of the community.

As part of the protest, the committee announced a shutdown along the Imphal–Ukhrul Road and warned that the agitation would continue until its demands are addressed, stating that “the agitation will continue until justice is delivered.”