28-year-old Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, a Meitei man, was in Churachandpur since December 19 to meet his Kuki fiancée. Little did the couple know that this meeting, in which Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh had reportedly obtained permission from the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and its Tuibong district headquarters, would end Rishikanta’s life.
In the darkness of late Wednesday night, a man identified as Rishikanta was seen with folded hands, begging for his life, which was later taken away by insurgents via an AK-series assault rifle.
The video of this gruesome incident was later released by the insurgents, with a text band reading, “no peace, no popular government.”
The 1 minute 12 second video had no voice, but the man can be clearly seen pleading for his life with folded hands; hitherto shots are launched at him, making him lie motionless on the ground.
Rishikanta originally hailed from Kakching Khunou (a Meitei-majority valley in Manipur), and the incident took place at a village named Natjang, situated a few kilometers away from his Kuki fiancée’s residential place, Tuibong.
Family said he came in December ahead of Christmas to meet his fiancée. He was working in Nepal.Rishikanta and his fiancé were in long distance relationship for almost 7years. They were supposed to get married in 2023 May however due to Manipur crisis the marriage was cancelled, the FoEJ Media has learnt.
“We got in touch with his fiancée and found that he had been staying at the village for the past month. The locals, including the village authorities, were aware. He does not normally live in Manipur; he works and lives in Nepal. Then yesterday, some armed miscreants arrived at the village and abducted them and killed him. We have not been able to pinpoint those responsible yet, and no one has taken responsibility either. The investigation is ongoing,” said Churachanpur Superintendent of Police, as reported by the Indian Express.
“This continuous incident of an armed network is not just a failure of intelligence but the failure of the political wing,” said Athouba UCM, Manipur, while talking to FoEJ Media.
“This incident is not an isolated crime. The abduction-and-execution method is a signature mode of terror employed by Chin-Kuki militant groups since the ethnic cleansing violence unleashed against the indigenous Meitei population on May 3, 2023, beginning with the afternoon attacks in Torbung, Churachandpur. “In response to the killing, the Meitei Heritage Welfare Foundation said in a statement.
It has been reported that Rishikanta’s fiancée had sought and obtained permission from the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and its Tuibong district headquarters to allow him to visit her for a few days. The KNO, however, denied granting any such permission.
“It is hereby categorically clarified that neither did the organization have any knowledge of the visit of Mayanglambam nor was it involved in the incident. The organization further clarifies that under no circumstances is any spouse of our people from any other community ever subjected to such activity,” the KNO said in a statement this morning.
Meanwhile, family members of victim Mayanglambam Rishikanta weren’t aware of his stay in Manipur. They came to know only after seeing the viral video of him being shot on camera.
Condemning the killing, BJP state unit president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi said, “Such acts of violence have no place in our society and go against the values of peace, harmony, and humanity.” She also appealed to “all sections of society to remain united, uphold the rule of law, and work collectively to strengthen our social fabric and ensure a peaceful and secure future for all,” she posted.
“We strongly condemn the killing by Chin-Kuki narco terrorists. For many months, we have been trying to restore peace by communicating with different communities. It is very unfortunate that the criminal acts of Kuki militants are not being controlled but rather allowed,” Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) Convenor Y. Dhiren said.
The police said that they recovered the body in a village in Churachandpur district and brought it to a local hospital at 1.30 am. The killing comes in the period when Manipur is under the presidential rule. Kukis and Meiteis do not visit each other’s areas after ethnic violence broke out in May 2023.
