Manipur man kidnapped, shot dead; viral video shows him begging
Manipur man kidnapped, shot dead; viral video shows him begging
A 38-year-old Meitei man was allegedly abducted and later shot dead by armed men in Manipur's Churachandpur district on Wednesday.
The victim has been identified as Mayanglambam Rishikanta.
A video of the incident, showing Rishikanta pleading for his life before being killed, has since gone viral.
The district Superintendent of Police told India Today that officials became aware of the crime after the video went viral on social media.
Victim's background and alleged abduction details
Rishikanta was a resident of Kakching district and was married to a woman from the Kuki community in Churachandpur. He had returned from Nepal on leave for a short visit.
According to officials, he was kidnapped earlier in the evening by unidentified miscreants, who later killed him on the side of a road.
Suggesting a targeted killing, Meitei organizations claim Rishikanta's wife had already sought permission from the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) for his visit but he was killed.
Video footage captures chilling murder
The video footage shows Rishikanta sitting on a rough road, hands folded as he pleads with at least two armed men.
Despite his pleas, one of the assailants shoots him at close range, killing him instantly.
According to news agency PTI, the kidnappers are suspected members of the United Kuki National Army (UNKA), a militant group not part of any Suspension of Operations agreement with the Manipur government and several Kuki-Zo armed groups.
Suspected involvement of militant group in murder
Since violence erupted in May 2023, the Meitei and Kuki communities have largely steered clear of each other's territories, effectively splitting Manipur along ethnic lines.
The Kuki-Zo people are a majority in Churachandpur and several other hilly regions, whereas the Meitei dominate the state capital, Imphal, along with a few nearby towns and rural areas.
Over 260 people have died and thousands have been displaced in the ongoing conflict.