Kuki Ex-serviceman Found Dead After Accidentally Crossing Manipur Buffer Zone

Imphal: An ex-serviceman, Lalboi Mate, 65, was found dead in the fields of Sekmai area in Manipur 's Imphal West district on Monday. Lalboi Mate, a former havaldar in the mechanised infantry of the Assam Regiment, hailed from Motbung in Kangpokpi district and belonged to the Kuki community.

The body of Mate, who hailed from Motbung in Kangpokpi district, was found lying in a pool of blood in Sekmai area and was recovered by locals who informed the police. He is believed to have accidentally crossed the buffer zone that separates the Kuki and Meitei areas while heading from Kangpokpi to Imphal West, an area dominated by Meiteis.

A senior police officer said, "Preliminary investigation revealed that the man possibly died of physical assault by unidentified miscreants." His body has been sent for a post-mortem, and authorities are awaiting the results to confirm the cause of death.

Allegations of Abduction and Killing

Mate’s son, Thangminlun, 21, said he learned of his father's death after receiving a video circulated on social media showing his father lying in a pool of blood. "I was looking for him all night. In the morning, I received a video where my father is seen bleeding from his face, and people around him were laughing and abusing the Kukis," said Thangminlun. "He was abducted by members of the armed Meitei group Arambai Tenggol, and they must be arrested."

According to his son, Mate had left home on Sunday evening to buy hardware for a house they were building in Motbung. When he did not return home, the family feared something had happened. Thangminlun regrets not stopping his father from going out. “I told him it was dangerous, but he left anyway,” he added.

Rising Violence in Manipur

The killing of Lalboi Mate is part of the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Kuki and Meitei communities in Manipur . Over the past two weeks, at least 11 people from both sides have been killed. Tensions have risen as drone bombs and rocket launchers are reportedly being used in the violence.

On Saturday, five more people were killed in Jiribam district. Three of them were identified as members of a militant group, one was a village volunteer, and another was an elderly man. Police said one person was shot dead while he slept, and the others were killed during exchanges of gunfire between the two communities.

The situation in Manipur remains tense, with authorities urging calm as investigations continue into the deaths.