Two Missing Kuki Men Found Dead in Manipur Amid Ethnic Tensions Two Kuki men who had gone missing since Wednesday were discovered dead in a forested area of Thawai Kuki village in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Thursday, according to a senior police officer. The men, identified as 42-year-old Thengin Baite from Thawai Kuki village and 35-year-old Thangboimang Khongsai from Shangkai village in neighbouring Ukhrul district, were allegedly abducted by village volunteers from the Tangkhul Naga community. The Kuki-based Shangkai Village Authority claimed the men were targeted after they were reportedly fired upon while repairing a water pipeline. The term “village volunteers” refers to armed civilians who have been guarding villages since ethnic clashes erupted between the Kuki-Zo-Hmars and Meiteis communities in May 2023. The Shangkai Village Authority accused Tangkhul volunteers of opening fire on villagers working in the fields, leading to the men’s disappearance. In a statement, the authority expressed concern over the safety of detained villagers and noted that locals had halted traffic along the Ukhrul road to pressure authorities. Meanwhile, tensions escalated as Tangkhul Naga individuals traveling on the Ukhrul-Imphal route were allegedly abducted by Kuki groups. The Tangkhul Naga Long, the community’s leadership body, reported that over 20 civilian passengers were taken hostage at Shangkai. Chief Minister Khemchand Yumnam condemned the abductions, stating the government was monitoring the situation and would take action against those involved. The detained civilians were released on Thursday morning, hours before the bodies of the two missing Kuki men were found. The conflict between the Kuki and Tangkhul Naga communities has a history of violence.#tangkhul_naga_long #shangkai_village_authority #thengin_baite #thangboimang_khongsai #kemchand_yumnam
