Claims circulating on social media and in certain quarters portraying the two Kuki men brutally murdered in Thawai Kuki village of Kamjong district as “illegal immigrants” have been decisively debunked after identity records confirmed that both victims were legitimate Indian citizens.
Official documents accessed by community representatives show that the deceased possessed valid Aadhaar Card, establishing their identity as bona fide residents of Manipur and citizens of India. The records directly contradict attempts to brand the victims as “foreign nationals,” a narrative that began surfacing shortly after their bodies were recovered.
According to official identity records, including the Aadhaar Card and the Electoral Roll, the two deceased have been verified as bona fide Indian citizens and residents of Manipur.
Records show that Thengkhogin Baite, son of Sempao Baite, is a bona fide resident of Thawai Kuki village under the 43-Phungyar Assembly Constituency in Ukhrul district. His details appear in the electoral roll at Serial No. 482, House No. 27, bearing EPIC No. MMJ0339218, with Aadhaar No. 5100 4602 4720.
Similarly, Thangboimang Lunkim, son of Kaipao Lunkim, is a bona fide resident of Chingdai Khullen village under the 46-Saikul Assembly Constituency in Kangpokpi district. His name appears in the electoral roll at Serial No. 31, House No. 5, bearing EPIC No. CRP0355644, with Aadhaar No. 5346 1890 6989.
Thangboimang Lunkim was displaced from Chingdai Khullen Village in the ongoing Manipur conflict that erupted on May 3, 2023 and sheltered temporary at Shangkai Village.
These official records categorically establish their identity as legitimate residents and voters of Manipur, directly contradicting claims circulating in certain quarters attempting to portray them as “illegal immigrants.”
The two men, were found dead on March 12 under chilling circumstances. According to local accounts, their bodies were discovered blindfolded and tied, triggering widespread outrage across the Kuki-Zo community and intensifying tensions in the hill district.
Family members and civil society organisations have strongly condemned the allegations questioning the victims’ citizenship, describing them as “malicious, baseless and deeply insensitive” to the grieving families.
Community leaders alleged that the attempt to label the slain men as illegal immigrants appears to be a deliberate effort to dilute the brutality of the crime and deflect attention from the circumstances surrounding their killing.
“Aadhaar is issued only after stringent biometric and demographic verification by the Government of India. The existence of these records leaves no room for malicious speculation about their identity,” a community representative said.
He further said that branding victims of a brutal killing as illegal immigrants without evidence amounts to “character assassination after death” and called on authorities to take serious note of those spreading misinformation.
The controversy has erupted amid heightened tensions in Kamjong district, where the killings have drawn strong condemnation from various Kuki organisations and civil society groups demanding swift justice.
Community bodies have urged the authorities to ensure that the investigation remains firmly focused on identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators rather than allowing unverified narratives to cloud the gravity of the crime.
Leaders of Kuki organisations also appealed to the public and media to exercise restraint and refrain from amplifying unverified claims that could inflame the already fragile situation in the region.
With anger mounting over the killings, civil society groups have demanded a thorough and transparent investigation to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice without delay and warned that attempts to malign the identity of the victims through misinformation could deepen mistrust and further complicate efforts to restore peace in the violence-hit hill districts.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
