13 Meiteis brutally murdered in ambush in Manipur village, victims identified

Accident – death – Obituary News : Newspaper Headline: Brutal Ambush in Manipur Leaves 13 Meiteis Dead, Unrest Continues in the Region

Date: December 4, 2023

Location: Leithao village, Tengnoupal district, Manipur, India

On the 4th of December, a tragic incident unfolded in the village of Leithao in Manipur, as 13 Meiteis fell victim to a brutal ambush. The village, which is predominantly inhabited by the Kuki community, was the site of a devastating attack that has left the entire region in shock. The Assam Rifles, acting on intelligence inputs, swiftly launched an operation to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime. Upon reaching the scene, they discovered the lifeless bodies of the Meiteis, but no weapons were found nearby.

Interestingly, this incident occurred just a day after the Kuki-Zo tribal groups in the Tengnoupal district had welcomed the Peace Agreement between the Meitei Militant Faction UNLF (Pambei) and the Government of India. However, they voiced their opposition to the proposal of establishing camps for surrendered militants in Kuki-Zo tribal areas. This opposition may have created tensions in the region, leading to the tragic events that unfolded.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Manipur Police provided an official statement, saying, “On 04.12.2023, in a gunfight between unknown armed miscreants at Leithao village near Saibol in Tengnoupal District under Machi Police Station, 13 (thirteen) persons have been killed. District police and security forces rushed to the spot, a case was registered, and an investigation was underway.”

The bodies of the victims were transported to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal East. On the following day, security agencies were able to identify all 13 victims. Initial reports had suggested that the deceased were militants who had infiltrated from Myanmar. However, further investigation revealed that they were locals from various areas in Manipur, including Bishnupur, Imphal West, Imphal East, and Kakching. The circumstances under which they reached the location where they were brutally murdered remain unclear. It is worth noting that all the victims ranged in age from 17 to 47.

In a bid to shed light on the personal stories of the victims, the Indian Express interviewed some of their family members. Thingom Rosy, the younger sister of 25-year-old victim Thingom Rocky Singh, recounted their family’s displacement from Torbung when violence erupted on the 4th of May. Seeking refuge in a relief camp in Thangmeiband of Imphal West, Singh had left the camp and had not been seen by his family since. Rosy shared, “He sought blessing from my mother to be victorious and fight for our motherland before leaving. We spoke over the phone several days back; he said he wanted to meet me and mother.”

Another victim, 39-year-old Moiragnthem Kingson Singh, had frequently left home to assist those affected by the ongoing conflict. His elder sister, Moirangthem Chaoba, expressed how the family learned about the incident through social media. She stated, “After we came to know that one of the victims was from the Khurai area, our family tried calling my brother, but his phone was switched off. We contacted some of his friends to ask about his whereabouts. They said Kingson and some volunteers move around frequently, helping people affected by the conflict. I prayed that my brother wasn’t part of the group. Unfortunately, our worst nightmare came true after we visited the morgue. I was speechless and shocked after seeing his body.”

Oinam Loken Singh, aged 43, was another victim of the ambush. His brother, Oinam Ratan, revealed that Loken had left a week prior to the incident to volunteer or search for work.

This incident marks the highest single-day death toll reported in Manipur within the past six months. Prior to the attack on the 4th of December, Leithao village had enjoyed relative peace, with minimal reports of incidents. As a result, security forces were not stationed in the town, and the nearest security post is located in Saibol, approximately 10 kilometers away from Leithao village.

Villagers from Leithao have claimed that the 13 individuals who lost their lives were part of a larger group of 20 attackers who entered the village on that fateful day. The defense volunteers of the town engaged in a firefight with the attackers, resulting in the death of 13 individuals, while the remaining seven managed to flee the scene.

Expressing their concerns for future safety, Jamkhogin Lupho, the secretary of Leithao village, pleaded for security forces to guard their villages. He emphasized the need for a permanent Assam Rifles post in the village, as the existing camps at Saibol and Bongmol, although appearing near Leithao on the map, face difficulties in reaching the village promptly during emergencies due to the lack of proper road connections. Lupho further revealed that before the shooting occurred, the militants had ransacked houses, and many villagers were out working in the fields when the attackers entered. He lamented, “From my house alone, they fled with nearly Rs 45,000.”

The state of Manipur has been plagued by ethnic violence since protests by tribal groups erupted on the 3rd of May. These protests were in response to the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the Meitei community. The recent ambush in Leithao village only exacerbates the ongoing unrest in the region, prompting a heightened need for security measures to protect the lives and livelihoods of the affected communities.

As investigations continue, the authorities must work swiftly to bring the culprits to justice and restore peace to Manipur. The tragic loss of 13 lives serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for lasting solutions to the ethnic tensions that have plagued the state..