By PC Bureau
The autopsy findings on Wednesday cast a grim light on the brutal killing of a 31-year-old mother of three in Manipur’s Jiribam district. The woman, from Zairawn village, was allegedly raped and then burned alive by armed intruders who attacked her home on November 7.
Her death has sparked further violence, with armed militants killing a Meitei woman farmer in a paddy field in Bishnupur district two days later. On November 11, three more individuals, including a Naga, were injured in militant attacks in Imphal East and Bishnupur districts. The latest surge in violence follows a brief lull in the ethnic conflict that has, since last May, claimed over 260 lives and displaced more than 60,000 people.
The autopsy conducted at Silchar Medical College in Assam revealed severe signs of torture, including wounds from nails and burns inflicted while she was alive. The charred state of her body made it impossible to confirm sexual assault through standard tests. Her husband reported to the police that she had been raped and “brutally killed” inside their home. That same night, the attackers reportedly looted and set fire to 17 houses in the village, and suspicions point to members of a valley-based group.
Also Read: World Diabetes Day: How to manage the silent killer
The autopsy noted a wound on her right thigh and a metallic nail embedded in her left thigh. Her remains showed 99% burns, with parts of her limbs and face missing and even the bone fragments charred. Many details of her injuries are too graphic to describe, underscoring the intense suffering she endured before being consumed by the flames along with her home. The whereabouts of her husband and children during the attack remain unknown.
Kuki-Zo organizations condemned the killing as “barbaric” and expressed frustration over the lack of arrests. The Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee of Pherzawl and Jiribam called for central intervention to protect the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people in these tribal-dominant districts. Similarly, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum of Churachandpur warned of potential unrest if the attackers are not identified soon.
This tragedy recalls the escalation of ethnic violence in Manipur since May of last year, during which women have faced brutal assaults, gang rapes, and killings.
The ongoing conflict between hill and valley communities has driven hundreds of families into relief camps across the state. Due to safety concerns along NH-37, Manipur Police transported the woman’s body to Silchar for autopsy instead of Imphal.
