Ladakh DGP shifted to lead Manipur police after May 13 killings of three pastors and Chiru man spark fresh abductions; 38 civilians taken, seven still missing as conflict spreads to Meitei, Kuki, Naga communities
Edited by St. Ginth Haokip, Kukiland Express Desk
Songpi: May 23, 2026
The Centre has transferred senior counter-terror officer and Ladakh DGP Mukesh Singh to Manipur with immediate effect, signaling a hard reset in its approach to the state’s three-year ethnic crisis that now involves Meitei, Kuki, and Naga communities. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his inter-cadre deputation from the AGMUT cadre for three years, per a DoPT memorandum issued Thursday.
Singh, a 1996-batch IPS officer and IIT-Delhi graduate, is set to replace Rajiv Singh as head of Manipur Police. Rajiv Singh has been moved to the Cabinet Secretariat as Secretary (Security). The reshuffle comes as violence and retaliatory abductions escalate across hill and valley districts, straining existing security arrangements.
Known for his operational record in Jammu and Kashmir, Mukesh Singh served in Pulwama, Poonch, and Jammu, leading multiple anti-terror operations that earned him gallantry awards. He was Additional DGP, Jammu Zone, before a central deputation with ITBP, and earlier held DIG and IG posts in the NIA. He took charge as Ladakh DGP in January this year.
The leadership change follows fresh bloodshed on May 13, when three Kuki pastors were shot dead in Kangpokpi and a Chiru tribesman was killed, setting off a wave of abductions. Armed groups from both Naga and Kuki sides allegedly seized villagers in reprisal, deepening fear across inter-community border areas.
Officials said over 38 men, women, and children from the two communities were abducted from separate locations after the May 13 incident. Security forces have since secured the release of 31 people, mostly women, children, and the ill. However, others remain untraced despite extensive search operations in the hills.
Naga groups claim six of their men are still held by Kuki armed elements, while Kuki representatives say 14 of their people, including three students, remain in Naga custody. The conflicting claims have complicated rescue efforts and heightened tensions, with families of the missing staging protests in several districts.
The Centre’s move to post a decorated counter-insurgency specialist reflects growing concern that the conflict has expanded beyond the initial Meitei-Kuki fault lines to now draw in Naga areas. With trust in local policing eroded, Mukesh Singh’s mandate will include restoring order, securing hostages, and preventing further fragmentation.
