Manipur hostage tragedy: bodies of woman, 2 children found

Three of six individuals who disappeared from a relief camp after a gunfight between Kuki militants and security forces were found dead near the Manipur-Assam border, sources confirmed Saturday. The victims, a woman and two children, were discovered near a river in Jirimukh village on Friday evening.

On November 11, militants attacked a police station in Borobekra. Security forces repelled the assault, killing 11 militants. While retreating, the militants allegedly kidnapped three women and three children from a nearby relief camp. A massive search continues for the remaining two women and one child.

Photos of the missing individuals surfaced online, but police have yet to confirm reports of their abduction. Candlelight vigils in Imphal and Jiribam on Thursday night demanded the immediate release of the missing persons.

Manipur has faced worsening ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities for over 18 months. Tensions spiked in June when a farmer’s mutilated body was found in Jiribam, a region previously untouched by conflict. On November 7, a Hmar tribal woman was tortured and killed by militants in Jiribam. The autopsy revealed third-degree burns, mutilation, and missing limbs, shocking the community.

Protests have erupted since the November 11 gunfight, with demonstrators claiming the killed militants were tribal volunteers defending villages. In response, the Centre reimposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in six areas, citing the ongoing violence.

Over 200 people have died, and thousands remain displaced, as ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups continue to devastate the region.