Imphal, Jan 22: A 31-year-old Meitei civilian was allegedly abducted and killed in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, with the victim’s family suspecting the involvement of Kuki militants and demanding a thorough investigation into the incident. A formal complaint has been filed with the police, prompting authorities to initiate a probe.
The deceased has been identified as Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, a resident of Kakching Khunou Uchan Makhong Leikai in Kakching district. He was the son of M. Tombi Singh and the husband of Chingnu Haokip, a resident of Tuibong village in Churachandpur. According to the family, the couple had been living together in Churachandpur since December 19, 2025, after Rishikanta returned from Nepal, where he had been working.
Family members said they first became aware of the incident after coming across a disturbing video purportedly showing Rishikanta’s killing. This was followed by a phone call from his wife, who informed them that he had been abducted by armed men and later killed. Speaking to the media, a relative said communication with Rishikanta had become infrequent after ethnic violence erupted in the state, though the family had remained in touch earlier.
As per the account shared by his wife, Rishikanta arrived in Churachandpur on December 19 to reunite with her. On the evening of the incident, around 6.30 pm, three unidentified armed men allegedly came to their residence and forcibly took him away. She reportedly attempted to resist but was overpowered. According to her statement, both were taken in a four-wheeler to a secluded area, where she was later pushed out of the vehicle while Rishikanta was driven towards a nearby hill area and allegedly shot dead. The video of the alleged killing has since gone viral.
The family has expressed strong suspicion that Kuki militants were involved in what they described as a “cold-blooded killing.” They said they sought clarity from the wife regarding the identity of the attackers, but she claimed she did not know who was responsible. The complaint lodged at Waikhong Police Station states that the family received telephonic information at around 1.45 am on January 22, 2026, confirming the abduction and killing.
Police officials said an investigation has been launched based on the complaint and that efforts are underway to verify the sequence of events, examine the video footage and identify those responsible for the crime.
