New Delhi: The brutal killing of an elderly Kuki farmer from Khunkho Kuki Village in Kangpokpi district has drawn strong condemnation from two major Kuki bodies — the Kuki CSO Working Committee South-West Sadar Hills and the Kuki Council — who have termed it a barbaric, cold-blooded and inhuman assassination allegedly carried out by NSCN-IM insurgents. The victim, identified as Pu Hemjang Haokip, was reportedly abducted on October 3 while working in his agricultural field and his body was found the next day with his hands and legs bound with rope, triggering anger and fear across the Sadar Hills region.
According to the statement of condemnation issued by the Kuki CSO Working Committee South-West Sadar Hills on October 4 with Ref. no. CSO/05-26, the 71-year-old resident of Khunkho Kuki Village was abducted while laboring in his field, mercilessly bound by his hands, subjected to unspeakable cruelty and shot dead in cold blood. The committee alleged that the perpetrators, identified as NSCN-IM insurgents, further compounded the atrocity by setting ablaze his field hut, thereby destroying the modest shelter and livelihood of a vulnerable elderly man who had devoted his entire life to the care and sustenance of his family and dependents.
The Kuki Council, in its press release dated 05th October 2026 issued from its headquarters at Lamka and signed by its Spokesperson and Secretary, Information & Publicity Ginza Vualzong, said the victim was 76 years old and was captured on 3 October 2026 while working in his paddy field, reportedly by cadres of the NSCN-IM. His body was found on 4 October with his hands and legs bound with rope. While there is a slight variation in the age mentioned in the two releases, both bodies confirm the identity of the victim, the village, the date of abduction and the alleged involvement of the same armed group.
The Kuki CSO Working Committee, in its statement issued by the Department of Information & Publicity from its Administrative Office at Veitum, Kangpokpi, said this wanton act of violence against a defenseless senior citizen constitutes a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights and international humanitarian norms. The committee observed that the deliberate targeting and elimination of an innocent farmer, whose only transgression was tilling the land to provide for his family, reflects a depraved disregard for human life and dignity that deserves the strongest possible condemnation from all civilized members of society.
The Kuki Council, in its separate release, stated that the killing of an elderly farmer in such a brutal manner is a grave violation of human dignity and the safety of civilians. The Council said it is deeply concerned that Kuki civilians continue to face violence and insecurity while carrying out their ordinary lives and livelihoods. Both organisations underlined that a farmer going to his own field should not have to fear for his life, and that targeting a senior citizen engaged in peaceful agricultural work demonstrates the extent of vulnerability faced by agrarian communities in remote areas.
Significantly, the Kuki Council has raised a pointed question to the government, asking why the NSCN-IM, an armed organisation under a political agreement with the Government of India, is being allowed to operate in Manipur when its cadres are reportedly implicated in violence against civilians. The Council noted that the NSCN-IM has been under a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India since 1997 and is currently engaged in political negotiations, yet reports of its cadres operating in Manipur and indulging in extortion, abduction and violence have repeatedly surfaced, creating fear and insecurity among local villagers.
The Kuki CSO Working Committee, while focusing on the brutality of the act, also highlighted the issue of impunity, stating that setting ablaze the field hut after killing the farmer was an attempt to destroy not just a life but his entire livelihood and to send a message of intimidation to the whole village. Civil society members in South-West Sadar Hills said Khunkho and surrounding villages are located in a sensitive zone where armed groups are reported to have free movement, leaving unarmed villagers exposed and without adequate security cover during the cultivation season, especially when they go to isolated fields.
In terms of demands, both organisations have sought swift and decisive action from the authorities. The Kuki CSO Working Committee has demanded that the concerned authorities conduct an immediate, transparent and impartial investigation into this heinous crime, ensure the swift apprehension and prosecution of all those responsible, and extend adequate protection to the bereaved family and the wider community of Khunkho Kuki Village. It asserted that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done, so that such atrocities are never repeated and the perpetrators are held fully accountable under the law.
The Kuki Council has demanded an immediate, impartial and credible investigation into the abduction and killing of Pu Hemjang Haokip and that all those responsible be brought to justice without delay. It further urged the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to take effective measures to protect Kuki civilians, particularly those working in vulnerable areas, and to ensure that no armed group is allowed to act with impunity. The Council reiterated that the protection of civilian lives is the foremost responsibility of the Government and that the continued loss of innocent lives cannot be allowed to become the new normal in the state.
Khunkho Kuki Village is a small agrarian settlement in the Sadar Hills region where most households depend on paddy and seasonal crops for survival. Pu Hemjang Haokip, despite his advanced age, was still cultivating his field to sustain his family, according to local sources. His killing has created panic among villagers who now fear going to their fields alone, especially those whose fields are located at a distance from the main habitation. Villagers have appealed for regular security patrols during the farming season to prevent such incidents.
As of Sunday evening, no official statement has been issued by the police or district administration regarding the incident or the allegations against the NSCN-IM. The Kuki bodies have said they will continue to monitor the investigation and press for accountability until justice is delivered to the family of the deceased farmer. The incident comes at a time when Manipur is still struggling to restore normalcy after prolonged ethnic violence, and such targeted killings of elderly civilians are being seen as a serious setback to peace efforts and to the sense of safety among farming communities in the hill areas.
