A 71-year-old man, Hemjang Haokip, was found dead in Kangpokpi after going missing from his farm, amid allegations of abduction and arson.
Imphal, Oct. 4: A 71-year-old man, Hemjang Haokip of Khunkho Kuki Village, was found dead in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Sunday, a day after he was reported missing from his agricultural field near Leimakhong.
Haokip had reportedly gone to his farm on Saturday, October 3. His field hut was later found burnt, and villagers launched a search after he could not be located. Reports said his clothes were recovered during the search on Sunday, following which security forces deployed sniffer dogs to trace him.
Reports citing officials said an unidentified group had set fire to a paddy field in the Leimakhong Khunkho area during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. Local residents alleged that Haokip was inside the hut when it was set on fire. The circumstances surrounding his death are subject to investigation.
Earlier, the Kuki Youth Organisation (KYO), Leimakhong Block, had alleged that Haokip was abducted from his field at around 3 pm on October 3 by armed cadres suspected to be associated with the NSCN-IM. The allegation could not be independently verified.
The development had prompted concern among residents, with the Khunkho Kuki Village Authority demanding Haokip’s safe and unconditional release within 24 hours. Security forces, including state police and central forces, were involved in the search operation.
Ariang village authority denies involvement
Amid the allegations, the Village Authority of Ariang (Khunkhu Naga Village) issued a clarification on October 4 denying any involvement by the village or its residents in Haokip’s disappearance.
The authority expressed sadness over the missing case and extended solidarity to Haokip’s family. It said Ariang and Khunkho Kuki Village had maintained peaceful and cordial relations for decades.
The village authority said it was aware of suspicions and allegations raised by some individuals against Ariang and its residents, but urged that such claims be stopped unless supported by verified information.
It warned that unverified allegations could create distrust and tension between the two communities, which, according to the statement, had lived peacefully alongside each other for many years.
The authority also described Ariang as a peace-loving village located close to an Army cantonment. It said movement restrictions had been imposed on villagers from August 14 as a precautionary measure following an earlier incident in some Naga villages.
The statement further said the village authority shared the grief and concern of Haokip’s family and maintained that any abduction or disappearance of civilians was unacceptable.
Before news of Haokip’s death emerged, the village authority had appealed to all concerned to maintain peace, avoid speculation and unverified allegations, and support efforts to establish his whereabouts. It had also expressed hope that he would return safely to his family.
With Haokip now found dead, the circumstances of his disappearance and death, including the burning of the field hut and allegations of abduction, will need to be established through investigation. No independent confirmation has so far been reported regarding the identity of those responsible.
