Manipur Protests Erupt After Two Kuki Youths Found Dead
The Committee on Tribal Unity enforced a district shutdown in Kangpokpi after the mutilated bodies of two abducted Kuki youths were recovered.
Violent protests and a district-wide shutdown erupted in Manipur's Kangpokpi district after security forces recovered the mutilated bodies of two Kuki-Zo youths, Tinginlun Chongloi and Paoginlal Hangshing, on November 1. The victims had been abducted at gunpoint from the Taphou Kuki village area on October 28. Their bodies were discovered stuffed in gunny bags at a banana plantation.
The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) responded by enforcing an indefinite closure of government offices and a total district shutdown, which was extended for a second day on November 3. Protesters blocked National Highway-2 with boulders and logs, leading security forces to use tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowds. CoTU has refused to claim the bodies until a five-point charter of demands is met, including an independent probe by the National Investigation Agency and the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho.
Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho both condemned the killings and called for justice. However, CoTU accused the state administration of "shameful indecision" and failure to initiate tangible action. Meanwhile, Kuba Peter, President of the Naga Peoples' Organisation, called for a transparent investigation to prevent the manipulation of evidence and the escalation of communal tensions. The incident occurs amid broader ethnic clashes between Kuki, Naga, and Meitei communities that have killed over 50 people since February 2026.
