On March 12, two men, Thengin Baite (40) and Thangboimang Khongsai (35), were found dead in a forested area near Thawai Kuki village in Kamjong district, Manipur, raising tensions in the already sensitive region. They were reportedly abducted the previous day by suspected armed group members. Local sources indicated that search teams discovered their bodies shortly after the abduction was reported. The incident has heightened fears in Kamjong and surrounding districts, which have been unsettled in recent months.
The Shangkai Village Authority attributed the murders to escalating local violence, citing an earlier incident where two villagers attempting to repair a water pipeline were allegedly abducted. This appeal for intervention by the Government of Manipur was prompted by the growing unrest and the need for safety assurances for residents. Despite the urgency, no official statement had been released by authorities regarding the deaths.
In a related incident, twenty civilians who had been taken hostage by an armed group in Shangkai village, Ukhrul district, were safely released on the same morning after several hours of apprehension. The group was reportedly abducted during their travels on Wednesday, prompting a significant outcry from the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), a key Naga civil society organization, which urged state and central governments to secure their release. Manipur’s Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh also called for the captives’ safe return on humanitarian ground. Following their rescue, the civilians were returned to their families, alleviating some of the tension in Ukhrul district.
