The executions highlight the growing influence of militant groups in Manipur, with UNLF-K enforcing its own brand of justice outside legal frameworks.
BY PC Bureau
A 30-year-old man was blindfolded, dragged into a forest, and executed with a close-range gunshot to the head after being accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Manipur. The proscribed militant outfit United National Liberation Front-Koireng (UNLF-K) has claimed responsibility for the killing.
The victim, identified as Hemam Johnson, a resident of Ngangkha Lawai village in Bishnupur district, was found dead at around 7 PM on Friday along a road leading to Mani Yaiskul from Waiton, Imphal East. His body bore a bullet wound on the right side of his head, with his hands tied behind his back and eyes covered with a cloth.
According to a UNLF-K spokesperson, the group took action based on a complaint filed by the teenage girl, (further alleging that Johnson had impregnated her. His body has been taken to the JNIM mortuary in Imphal East for a post-mortem examination.
Unconfirmed report said that the teenager girl was the sister of the man shot dead.
Moral policing has become rampant within Meitei society, led by UNLF, who subject individuals to brutal torture based on their alleged “sins.” Today, a man was reportedly killed for allegedly assaulting his sister.
Is the UNLF now in charge of law and order in Manipur? pic.twitter.com/BxXd2lUX7c— Hen Kuki (@HennaryL) January 24, 2025
Another Incident:
In a separate case, the UNLF-K claimed to have shot another 30-year-old man in the leg as punishment for allegedly raping a 28-year-old woman in a hotel in Imphal on January 10. The accused, Khaidem Nongdam Khanganba of Imphal West, was reportedly attacked following an internal investigation by the militant outfit.
According to the group, the woman had been staying alone in Hotel Imphal after returning from Delhi when Khanganba, posing as hotel staff, entered her room, ordered alcohol, and pressured her to drink. When she refused, he allegedly assaulted and raped her.
The militant outfit stated that Khanganba confessed, and they opted for a less severe punishment. He was admitted to Shija Hospital at around 11 PM on Sunday, where he underwent surgery for the bullet injury.
UNLF-K’s Stance and Internal Divisions
The UNLF-K, led by RK Achou Singh (alias Koireng), remains opposed to peace talks with the Indian government. Meanwhile, a rival faction, headed by Khundongbam Pambei, entered a tripartite peace agreement with the central and state governments in November 2023.
Authorities have yet to make an official statement regarding these incidents, but the militant group’s actions have raised concerns over extrajudicial killings and the growing influence of armed outfits in Manipur.
