Imphal: A retired soldier who was abducted by suspected militants in Manipur was found dead on Monday after an extensive two-day search, according to an official statement.
The discovery of his body comes amid a surge in violence in Manipur, where at least six people were killed on Saturday in the state’s ethnically diverse Jiribam district—a region that had largely remained unaffected by the ongoing ethnic clashes.
Ethnic tensions have continued in the northeastern state for over a year. A conflict had erupted between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the largely Christian Kuki community. This has led to deep divisions within communities that once coexisted peacefully.
Police sources said that the body of Limlal Mate, a retired Army personnel, was located between the Imphal West and Kangpokpi districts, an NDTV report said.
According to the victim’s son, Thangminlun Mate, who lodged an FIR at the Gamnom Saparmeina Police Station in Kangpokpi district, his father was kidnapped by suspected militants while shopping for household items in Shantipur over the weekend.
In his FIR, Thangminlun Mate said “Today (Monday), I learnt through social media that my father was brutally killed in the Phumlou area,” and he called for strict action against those responsible for the crime.
Earlier on Monday, thousands of students staged protests outside the Manipur secretariat and Raj Bhavan and demanded accountability for the recent drone and missile attacks and calling for the protection of the state’s “territorial and administrative integrity.”
On Sunday, during a meeting with the Governor, the state government requested that the “Home ministry-run Unified Command,” which oversees security operations in Manipur and coordinates various security agencies, be transferred to state control.