Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has assured the bereaved families of two young men from Taphou Kuki village that their killings will be investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Chief Minister met the families in Kangpokpi district amid heightened tensions following the deaths.
The deceased were identified as Paoginlal Hangshing and Tinginlun Chongloi, both young residents of Taphou Kuki village. Reports put their ages at around 20, though accounts differ slightly.
Missing for days before bodies were found
The two youths went missing on October 28, prompting search operations by Manipur Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles, later joined by the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and the Rapid Action Force (RAF).
Their bodies were recovered on November 1 from a hilly area along SP Road in neighbouring Senapati district, east of National Highway-2. Police completed the legal formalities, but the circumstances of the killings and the identities of the perpetrators remained under investigation.
NIA probe becomes the central demand
The demand for an independent investigation gained momentum after the recovery. The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a prominent civil society organisation in Kangpokpi, called for the case to be transferred to the NIA, along with the immediate arrest of those responsible and the withdrawal of NSCN-IM camps from Senapati district.
CoTU also demanded the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho and the transfer of Taphou Kuki village from Senapati police jurisdiction to Kangpokpi police jurisdiction. The organisation alleged that armed Naga militants abducted the youths, but this has not been independently established, and police have not publicly identified the perpetrators.
Protests intensify in Kangpokpi
The recovery triggered widespread anger in Kangpokpi district. Residents gathered to demand justice while CoTU continued its shutdown, and tensions escalated outside the Superintendent of Police’s office, where security personnel used tear gas and baton charges to disperse protesters, according to reports. Some demonstrators were reportedly injured.
CoTU also refused to claim the bodies until the government addressed its demands. Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen condemned the killings, expressed grief over the loss of the two young lives, and appealed for calm.
The meeting comes at a difficult time for Manipur, where fresh violence has intensified tensions between communities. The Chief Minister recently discussed peace efforts with the Prime Minister in Delhi, and the NIA probe is expected to be important in addressing questions around the abduction and deaths. For the families, the immediate priority remains justice — and assurance that similar incidents will not threaten other residents. Security agencies have been stepping up operations across the Northeast as the region continues to grapple with overlapping security challenges.
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