four people allegedly abducted by a Meitei mob in Kangpokpi district, have been found dead. This incident occurred in the backdrop of ongoing communal violence in the Indian state.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Kuki-Zo tribal people primarily identify as Christians, while the majority of the Meitei community are Hindus. Manipur has been engulfed in communal violence since May 3, following a Tribal Solidarity March in the hill districts. The march was a response to the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status, and the unrest has since claimed over 200 lives.

The incident involved the forcible abduction of five Kuki-Zo individuals, including two women, by a Meitei mob near the Kangchup Chingkhong village checkpoint. The victims were traveling to L Phaijang village for a wedding function. Notably, the abduction occurred despite the presence of Indian police and central security forces.

Inspector General of Police Themthing Ngasangva, as reported by the news portal Scroll, stated that the bodies of a woman and a man were discovered on Tuesday evening, while two others remain missing. The fifth abductee, a 65-year-old man and father of an Indian Army soldier, sustained severe injuries and is currently in critical condition after being airlifted to a medical facility in a neighboring state.

In response to these events, the Kuki-Zo community in Kangpokpi district organized a large rally at Brig. M. Thomas ground in Kangpokpi town. The protestors voiced demands for the release of two Kuki-Zo individuals detained at Senapati Police Station and the return of the four abducted persons. Their slogans called for justice, immediate action, and a separate administrative arrangement.