Manipur: protests and clashes in Kangpokpi after two missing youths found dead
Protesters clashed with security forces in Kangpokpi after the bodies of two missing youths were found in neighbouring Senapati district.
Protests erupted in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Sunday night after the bodies of two missing youths were found in neighbouring Senapati district, leading to clashes with security forces in which one protester was injured. Protesters are demanding arrests and an investigation, while both deputy chief ministers have condemned the killings.
Protests in Kangpokpi
Protests erupted in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Sunday night after the bodies of two missing youths were found in neighbouring Senapati district, leading to clashes between protesters and security forces, police said on Monday 2 November. Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads with logs and boulders, and police said security personnel fired tear gas shells and used batons after agitators threw stones at them. One protester was injured on the head after allegedly being hit by a tear gas shell; officials said his condition was stable. Police have since cleared some of the blocked roads, but tension remained high on Monday morning and additional security forces were deployed, a district official said.
How the two youths were found
The two youths, identified as T Chongloi (21) and Paoginlal Hangsing (20), had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village on 29 October, officials said. Their bodies were found in a hilly area of Senapati district on Sunday morning during a search operation. Joint teams of the police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles had been conducting search operations along the boundary of Kangpokpi and Senapati districts to trace them, and an extensive search was also conducted by teams including Manipur Police, CoBRA, CRPF, Assam Rifles and the Rapid Action Force in the area east of National Highway 2, along the SP Road, a hilly stretch connecting the two districts.
Demands and condemnation
Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho both condemned the killings and called for an investigation. Kipgen said: 'What began with hopes of safe return ended in tragedy,' and demanded that those responsible be brought to justice. The Naga Peoples' Organisation questioned the circumstances of the recovery and demanded an impartial, transparent and independent investigation. The Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) demanded Dikho's resignation, sought the transfer of Taphou Kuki village from the jurisdiction of the Senapati police chief to the Kangpokpi police chief, and said the bodies would not be taken to the village for final rites until those responsible were arrested.
A tense backdrop
The recovery came amid continuing violence in the state. On Saturday, three people belonging to the Kuki community were killed in a gunfight between rival armed groups in Noney district, police said. More than 50 people have been killed and dozens of houses burnt across Tamenglong, Noney, Kamjong, Ukhrul and Kangpokpi districts since ethnic clashes between Kuki and Naga communities broke out in February this year, according to the reports. No group has been officially identified as responsible for the deaths of the two youths, and the investigation into their killings continues.
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Frequently asked questions
What triggered the protests in Kangpokpi?
The discovery on Sunday morning of the bodies of two missing youths, T Chongloi (21) and Paoginlal Hangsing (20), who had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village on 29 October and were found in Senapati district during a search operation.
What happened during the clashes?
Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads with logs and boulders on Sunday night. Police said security personnel fired tear gas shells and used batons after agitators threw stones. One protester suffered a head injury and is stable.
What are the protesters demanding?
Arrests of those responsible, an investigation into the killings, and — from the Committee on Tribal Unity — the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho and the transfer of Taphou Kuki village to Kangpokpi police jurisdiction.