Justice Before Burial: Kuki CSO Ukhrul Places Series of Demands as Victims’ Bodies Shifted to Imphal for Post-Mortem

The Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul, has strongly condemned the brutal killing of two Kuki men whose bodies were found blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs, terming the incident a “barbaric and inhumane act” that has sent shockwaves across the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur’s hill districts.

The committee issued a series of demands as the bodies of the two victims were reportedly taken to Imphal for post-mortem examination on the evening of March 12 under police escort.

According to the committee, the victims — Thenkhogin Baite and Thangboimang Lunkim — were found blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs, bearing signs of severe assault with sharp objects before being shot dead.

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

Expressing deep concern over the incident, the committee alleged that authorities and security forces failed to make serious efforts to locate the two missing men, while prioritising the safety and evacuation of 21 Tangkhul travellers. It 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 Kuki CSO Working Committee warned that the agitation would continue until justice is delivered.

It declared that the bodies of the deceased would not be claimed until the perpetrators are identified, arrested and awarded capital punishment.

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

Seeking a transparent and impartial investigation, the committee also urged that the case be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The committee called upon the Central Government to take swift and decisive action to deliver justice, urging authorities to demonstrate the same urgency shown during the extraction of the 21 Tangkhul travellers by the administration led by Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh.

Raising serious concerns over the security of Kuki villagers in Ukhrul district, the committee said the community, which had earlier coexisted peacefully with the Tangkhul Christian community, now feels deeply threatened. It therefore demanded the relocation of all Kuki villages in Ukhrul to Kangpokpi district to ensure the safety and protection of its people.

As part of its protest, the committee announced a total shutdown along the Imphal–Ukhrul Road until its demands are fulfilled.
Warning of growing frustration among the community, the committee said that if justice and protection continue to elude the Kuki people, they would be compelled to defend their lives and communities with all their might.

“The agitation will continue until justice is delivered,” the committee asserted.