Footage showing a Meitei man pleading before being shot has gone viral, raising serious questions about militant activity and security failures near Manipur’s unofficial buffer zones. The identity of the attackers and the exact location remain unconfirmed.
BY PC Bureaus
January 22, 2026: A Meitei man was shot dead in Manipur on the night of January 21, 2026 (Wednesday), in what appears to be a highly sensitive incident linked to the ongoing ethnic tensions and the enforcement of unofficial buffer zones between Meitei-dominated valley areas and Kuki-Zo hill territories.
A video of the killing, now circulating widely on social media, shows a bespectacled Meitei man pleading with folded hands before being shot. Notably, the video contains no audio, a detail observers believe may have been deliberately edited to conceal the identity of the assailant(s).
The footage suggests the involvement of more than one person. While the killing was being recorded, gunshots were fired. The first shot struck the victim in the head, causing him to collapse to the ground. Moments later, the shooter stepped out from the darkness—only a vague silhouette of his back is visible—and fired a second shot. The victim is then seen lying on his back, blood trickling down his face. He appears motionless after the second shot, indicating he may have died instantly.
The victim has been identified as Mayanglambam Rishikanta, also known as Ginminthang, a Meitei, married to a Kuki woman, Chingnu Haokip of Tuibong in Churachandpur. He was the son of M. Tombi Singh of Kakching Khunou Uchal Makhong Leikai. He had been working in Nepal and had returned home on leave. According to reports, he was killed while attempting to meet his wife.
READ: The Nengtinlhing Haokip FIR That Should Shake the Nation—Yet the CBI Sits Idle
Speculation over responsibility remains unverified. The United Kuki National Army (UKNA), often cited in past incidents, has reportedly been inactive since four of its members were killed in an encounter with security forces several months ago. Other Kuki-Zo armed groups are currently under Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements with the Centre.
In earlier incidents, there have been instances where Meitei civilians who crossed buffer areas were handed over safely to security forces. Most recently, a Meitei man identified as Yumjao Angom reportedly crossed a buffer zone and was later handed over by local Kuki residents to authorities.
Sources said the Assam Rifles top brass had taken stock of the situation and that additional forces were being rushed to the area to carry out combing operations and contain any possible reaction to the killing among the Meitei population.
Unconfirmed reports circulating on social media claim that the victim killed on Wednesday night was married to a Kuki woman and may have crossed the buffer zone to meet her, where he allegedly fell into the hands of militants. Some Meitei social media handles have blamed Kuki militants for the killing. However, these claims remain unverified and reflect the deeply polarized narratives surrounding the conflict.
The incident reportedly occurred near or within a buffer zone—de facto security demarcations maintained by central forces since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023. These zones, often along inter-district borders in areas such as Bishnupur, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur, restrict civilian movement to prevent direct clashes between communities. While authorities officially deny the existence of formal “buffer zones,” they function as enforced no-go areas, with violations frequently resulting in abductions, firing incidents, or fatalities.
s Manipur observed Statehood Day, at around 6:30 pm, Mayanglambam Rishikanta, also known as Ginminthang, was brutally shot dead in a suspected militant attack.
Rishikanta, a Meitei by community, was married to a Kuki woman, Chingnu Haokip of Tuibong in Churachandpur. He was the son of M. Tombi Singh of Kakching Khunou Uchal Makhong Leikai.
He had been working in Nepal and had returned home on leave. According to reports, he was killed while attempting to meet his wife. The incident has further heightened tensions amid the ongoing ethnic unrest in the state.The buffer zones have become a major point of contention. Meitei groups have described them as unconstitutional restrictions on free movement under Article 19, while Kuki-Zo organizations argue they are essential safeguards in the absence of political resolution and trust.
The killing comes amid a fragile calm in Manipur following the imposition of President’s Rule after political instability in early 2025. The broader ethnic conflict between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities has officially claimed over 260 lives as of late 2024 and displaced tens of thousands, with sporadic violence continuing.
Recent weeks have seen tension-heightening developments, including IED blasts near buffer areas—such as one in Bishnupur on January 5, 2026, which injured civilians—along with renewed accusations of narco-linked militancy, impunity, and provocation from both sides.
Community leaders have appealed for restraint, warning that such incidents risk undoing fragile stability. Investigations are reportedly underway, and further official details are awaited as fears of renewed unrest persist.
