IMPHAL: A village chief in Manipur’s Churachandpur was allegedly assaulted to death by unknown miscreants suspected to be cadres of the banned underground outfit, United Kuki National Army (UKNA), on Monday, officials said on Tuesday.
The victim, identified as Mangthang Haokip, was the chief of T Khonomphai village in Henglep sub-division of the Churachandpur district. The incident occurred at around 4.30 pm.
“Due to the remote location of T Khonomphai village, the victim was carried to Khopijang village, where he was to be carried to Churachandpur district medical hospital. However, he succumbed to his injuries on arrival at Khaopijang village en route to the hospital,” said an official familiar with the matter.
A case has been registered in connection with the incident at Henglep police station for further investigation, and the body was handed over to the villagers.
The Henglep Headquarter Area Chief Association (HACA) condemned the incident in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The UKNA had claimed responsibility for an ambush carried out on June 30 that killed three members of a Kuki militant outfit under suspension of operation (SoO) near Mongjang village, around 5 km from Churachandpur district headquarter. The attack also killed an elderly woman with a stray bullet near the spot.
The Manipur government had withdrawn the SoO agreement with UKNA in 2023 following the alleged involvement of the armed group in the Manipur crisis.
{{/usCountry}}The Manipur government had withdrawn the SoO agreement with UKNA in 2023 following the alleged involvement of the armed group in the Manipur crisis.
{{/usCountry}}Ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, since when around 260 individuals have been killed, and over 60,000 individuals have been displaced. The state government, under President’s Rule, has announced that rehabilitation of internally displaced people would be completed by December.