Meitei man visiting Kuki wife gunned down in front of camera in Manipur's Churachandpur

The victim had even adopted a Kuki name Mayanglambam and his wife took "permission" from Kuki armed groups for his visit.

A 38-year-old Meitei man was gunned down by suspected Kuki armed persons on Wednesday in Manipur's Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district, where he had gone to meet his Kuki wife.

A video that surfaced on social media showed the victim, Mayanglambam Rishikanta, pleading with folded hands before two shots were fired from the opposite side. The assailants were not seen in the video. The one minute 12 second video carried a text that read "no peace no popular government." The message referred to efforts by the Meitei MLAs to form a government in Manipur, which has remained under President's Rule since February 13 last year.

Gaurav Dogra, SP, Churachandpur told DH on Thursday morning that the victim was a resident of Kakching Khunou Uchan Makhong Leikai area in Meitei-dominated Kakching district and was in Churachandpur since December 19 to meet his Kuki wife. Police at Churachandpur got information at around 10.30pm on Wednesday that Rishikanta was abducted by unknown persons from Tuibuong area on Tuesday and was killed at T. Natjang village.

"The body was retrieved from the area and has been kept at district morgue. A suo mou FIR has been registered at Churachandpur police station and efforts are on to nab the miscreants," Dogra said.

Sources said the man worked in Nepal and had returned Kakching home last month. He visited Churachandpur after his wife took "permission" from the Kuki insurgent groups. Sources said the victim had even adopted a Kuki name Mayanglambam to visit his wife, Chingnu Haokip.

The victim before being shot down. 

United Kuki National Army, an armed Kuki group not in ceasefire, was suspected to be behind the killing. Dogra, however, said they are ye to be certain about the group involved in the crime.

The UKNA, however, later issued a statement on Thursday rejecting reports about its involvement in the killing.

Meiteis and Kukis have avoided visiting each other's territory since the conflict involving the Meiteis and the Kukis started in May 2023. The central forces have been deployed along the areas separating the Meitei dominated Valley and the Kuki-dominated districts like Churachandpur.

The fresh killing has come at a time the government is trying to end the conflict through dialogue with both the Meitei and the Kuki groups.

Protest in the Valley:

Organisations in the Meitei-dominated Valley condemned the killing and alleged failure of the security forces to provide safety to its residents despite the state being under President's Rule for nearly one year. Coordination Committee on Manipur Unity and Meitei Heritage Welfare Foundation blamed the Centre and the security forces for the incident. They also demanded action against Kuki insurgents. A Joint Action Committee formed to protest against the killing, demanded an investigation by the NIA. Meitei organisations have been demanding abrogation of the Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki insurgent groups and an operation against the armed groups.