Kuki man found dead in Manipur a day after alleged abduction

A 71-year-old Kuki man was found dead on Sunday (October 4, 2026), a day after armed men allegedly abducted him at gunpoint in Kangpokpi district of Manipur.

Residents of Khunkho Kuki village, located near an Army base, said gunmen took Hemjang Haokip away after torching his house on Saturday (October 3, 2026). His body was found in a jungle about 24 hours later.

Officials said security forces had deployed sniffer dogs to search for him.

The Khunkho Kuki Village Authority condemned the abduction and killing. It urged the Manipur government to punish those responsible for his death.

Locals suspected the assailants were members of a Naga extremist group.

The ethnic conflict in Manipur drew the State to a shutdown after violence broke out between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities. Later, tensions escalated between Kukis and Nagas, with the most recent case of armed shooting reported on September 26, which claimed the lives of three Naga civilians.

The conflict has claimed more than 300 lives since May 2023. The State’s Home Minister, Konthoujam Govindas, told the 60-member Assembly in September that 49 people remain missing since the conflict began.

A few days ago, the State government announced an ex gratia of ₹10 lakh each for the kin of the 49 missing persons.