Tamenglong: A 17-year-old Naga student was allegedly shot dead by suspected militants in Tamenglong district of Manipur on Monday morning, according to police and local sources.
The deceased has been identified as NK Wiphenbou, a resident of Takou village in the Tamei subdivision. He was reportedly travelling towards Tamei when the incident took place around 10:30 am along the road between Takou and Tamah, according to local reports.
Naga village volunteers later found the teenager’s body along a narrow path, reports said. The circumstances surrounding the killing and the identity of those responsible were not immediately confirmed by authorities.
The Working Committee of the Joint Tribes Council Manipur (WC-JTCM) condemned the killing and called for immediate action by the state and central governments.
In a statement, the WC-JTCM alleged that the teenager was killed in a “premeditated ambush” by suspected Kuki armed groups. It specifically named the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), Kuki National Front (P) and Kuki National Front (N), among other groups.
The allegations could not be independently verified.
The council further alleged that the groups named in its statement were signatories to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement and accused them of violating the terms of the agreement.
The WC-JTCM also alleged that seven Kuki militants who were recently apprehended had subsequently been released without adequate legal action. It accused Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh of collusion, allegations that were not independently verified.
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The council called for those responsible for the killing to be identified and arrested and demanded immediate security measures to protect Liangmai Naga villages and other vulnerable Naga settlements.
It also called for action against groups allegedly violating the SoO agreement and questioned its continuation if it failed to prevent violence and ensure accountability.
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