Ten Kuki-Zo youths were killed in an alleged gunfight with CRPF in Manipur, sustaining ultiple fatal bullet wounds, most fired from behind, as revealed by post-mortem reports. While the Manipur government claims they were militants, the Kuki-Zo community asserts they were village volunteers, deepening the tensions in the ongoing ethnic violence that has claimed over 250 lives since May last year.
BY PC Bureau
Ten Kuki-Zo youths, including minor, killed in an alleged gunfight with the CRPF, sustained multiple fatal bullet wounds, most of which were fired from behind, according to post-mortem examination reports.
Reports quoting news agency PTI said the autopsy indicated no visible torture marks beyond the bullet injuries and their impact. The deceased, including one minor, were identified as Ramneilien (29), Fimlien Kung Ngurte (31), Elvis Lalropei Zote (21), Lalthanei (22), Joseph Lalditum (19), Francis Lalzarlien (25), Roulneisang (30), Lalsiemlien Hmar (30), Henry Lalsanglien (25), and Robert Lalnuntluong (16).
According to the Manipur Police, the youths were among 10 suspected militants killed during a fierce gunfight on November 11. The incident reportedly occurred when insurgents in camouflage and armed with sophisticated weapons attacked the Borobekra police station and a CRPF camp in Jakuradhor, Jiribam district.
Post-mortem findings revealed that most of the deceased were dressed in camouflage or khaki attire at the time of autopsy, conducted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam. Six bodies were brought to SMCH on November 12, while the remaining four arrived on November 14, showing early signs of decomposition.
The autopsy reports noted the approximate time of death for the bodies examined on November 12 as 24-36 hours prior. For those brought in on November 14, it ranged between 72-96 hours earlier, except for Hmar, whose time of death was estimated at 48-72 hours prior.
All ten bodies bore multiple bullet entry and exit wounds, with some victims sustaining over a dozen injuries. The bullet wounds were distributed across their bodies, from head to foot, with most shots fired from behind. Additionally, the reports highlighted that one eye was missing in four individuals—Ngurte, Lalzarlien, Hmar, and Lalsanglien.
The doctors deferred their conclusions on the exact cause of death, pending chemical analysis of viscera samples by the Directorate of Forensic Sciences (DFS) in Guwahati.
The funeral of these 10 youths, along with two other Kuki-Zo men, is scheduled for December 5 in Churachandpur district, according to the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF). The forum had earlier delayed the funeral until the post-mortem reports were handed over to the families.
The bodies, airlifted from Silchar to Churachandpur on November 16, have since been preserved in a local hospital morgue. While the ITLF maintains that the deceased were village volunteers, the Manipur government asserts they were militants.
The deaths occurred amid ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur between the Meitei community, predominantly in the Imphal Valley, and Kuki-Zo groups in the surrounding hill districts. Since the violence began in May last year, sparked by a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ protesting Meitei demands for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, over 250 people have been killed, and thousands have been displaced.
Meiteis constitute approximately 53% of Manipur’s population, residing mostly in the valley, while the tribal communities—Nagas and Kukis—make up over 40% and inhabit the hill districts.
