The victim, identified as Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, was allegedly abducted and executed by suspected Kuki militants. A video of the incident, which has since surfaced, shows Singh kneeling in the dark with his hands folded, apparently pleading for his life as a flashlight focuses on him. Moments later, he is shot point-blank. The video, which contains no audio, bears the caption “No peace, no popular government.”
According to the police, Singh was abducted from his residence in the Tuibong area on Wednesday and was later found dead near Natjang village under the Henglep police station area. His body was recovered after authorities received information about the killing.
Singh hailed from Kakching Khunou in Kakching district. He was married to a Kuki woman, Chingnu Haokip, from Churachandpur, and had reportedly adopted a tribal name, Ginminthang, after marriage. He had recently returned from Nepal, where he had been working, and arrived in Churachandpur on January 19, news agency PTI reported.
Police stated that both Singh and his wife were abducted from their respective homes and taken to a secluded location in Natjang. While Singh was shot dead, his wife was later released unharmed.
The kidnappers are suspected to be members of the United Kuki National Army (UNKA). The militant group is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, which was signed between the Centre, the Manipur government, and several Kuki-Zo militant groups. Under the agreement, cadres are required to stay in designated camps, surrender their weapons, and undergo biometric verification, with strict restrictions on their movement and activities.
Since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023, relations between the Meitei and Kuki communities have remained deeply fractured, with members of each group largely avoiding entry into areas dominated by the other. However, Singh’s wife reportedly told authorities that she had sought permission from local groups for her husband to stay with her.
More than 260 people have been killed since the violence began, and thousands have been displaced from their homes, highlighting the prolonged humanitarian and security crisis in the state.
