Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Lamlai Police discovered an unidentified man dead on September 4 with a bullet wound to his head. Commuters spotted the body at 4:30 am along the Kangla Sangom Shang-Angom Laiching Road in the Imphal East district. Authorities moved the body to the JNIMS Hospital mortuary, where a formal investigation began to identify the victim and track the shooter.
Violence surged in the nearby Kangpokpi district. Unidentified miscreants torched 25 houses in Tiporam village on September 2. This followed an attack one day prior where 10 homes burned in Tapon Khullen, Tapon Khunou, and Makui Tiporam. Gunfire echoed during the assaults, leaving a village church pastor wounded. One local resident noted the escalation, stating, "Five houses were burnt on September 1 and that armed men had threatened to torch more houses."
The flames consumed property belonging to five members of the local Nepali community. Villagers previously evacuated to Makui had returned home, only to face fresh gunfire that forced them back to a relief center. Residents accused security forces of ignoring pleas for help before the September 2 blaze. Tensions remain high as officials count 17 deaths among Kuki-Zo and Naga communities since May 13. Recent carnage includes an August 27 ambush killing four Naga civilians and an August 31 attack on the Imphal-Tamenglong road that left three Kuki civilians dead. No group has claimed responsibility for these ongoing attacks.
Updated at 5th September 2026 at 9:46am
The banned National Revolutionary Front Manipur (NRFM) has claimed responsibility for the killing. The group identified the dead man as 26-year-old Waikhom Athoi, alias Shidaba, from Khabam Mayai Leikai. NRFM spokesperson Sanajaoba Meitei stated the group executed Athoi for deserting their armed wing in January 2026, stealing a firearm, and engaging in unauthorized extortion after a stint in jail.
Police reports indicate the victim suffered four bullet wounds to the head. Investigators recovered three live 9mm rounds and an empty shell at the scene near Angom Leikai Laijing Ching Mayai Lampak. Witnesses in the area reported hearing gunfire around midnight, hours before commuters discovered the body at dawn.
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