In a fresh episode of ethnic violence in Manipur, a 38-year-old Meitei man, Mayanglambam Rishikanta, was abducted by unidentified armed men in Churachandpur district and later shot dead. A disturbing video purportedly showing the victim pleading for his life before being killed has gone viral, prompting police to initiate an investigation.
Rishikanta, a resident of Kakching district, was married to a Kuki woman and had assumed a tribal name, Ginminthang. He had returned from Nepal on short leave from his job when the incident occurred. According to officials, he was kidnapped earlier in the evening, and his death was reported around 10:30 pm.
Meitei organisations claimed that the victim’s wife had sought permission from the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and local authorities prior to her husband’s visit. Since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023, Meitei and Kuki communities have largely avoided each other’s areas, leaving Manipur divided along ethnic lines. Over 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced during the ongoing hostilities.
The kidnappers are suspected to belong to the United Kuki National Army (UNKA), a militant group not part of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement between the Manipur government and several Kuki-Zo armed groups. Police continue to investigate the abduction, killing, and possible wider network involved in the attack.
