Hemjang Haokip: Abducted Kuki farmer found dead in Manipur's Kangpokpi

A 71-year-old Kuki farmer, Hemjang Haokip, has been found dead with his hands tied in a forest in Manipur's Kangpokpi district, a day after he was abducted from his fields and his hut was set on fire.

His body was recovered on Sunday, 4 October, following an intensive search by security forces and local villagers near Khunkho Kuki village. The killing has triggered immediate outrage, leading to a 24-hour total shutdown across Kangpokpi district.

How Hemjang Haokip was found

Haokip was abducted on Saturday afternoon, 3 October, from his temporary hut in a paddy field near the Leimakhong military station. Villagers only realised he was missing on Saturday evening when they noticed his field hut had been set ablaze. A search party was quickly assembled, but operations had to be suspended overnight due to safety concerns and poor light.

On Sunday morning, search teams, aided by security forces and sniffer dogs, discovered Haokip's clothes near his burnt hut. Shortly after, his body was located in the surrounding forest.

According to local village officials, his hands were tied behind his back and his body showed signs of severe physical assault, with suspected wounds from sharp weapons.

Who is being blamed for the killing

Kuki community organisations have pointed the finger at the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM), a dominant Naga armed group.

The Kuki Youth Organisation's Leimakhong block condemned the killing as a "pre-planned murder" and warned that the community would mobilise in response.

The NSCN-IM has not yet responded to the allegations. Manipur police said they are investigating the incident but have not yet formally identified those responsible for the abduction and murder.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring Ariang (Khunkhu) Naga Village Authority released a statement on Sunday denying any involvement by its residents. "Our two villages have maintained peaceful and cordial relations for many decades," the authority said, expressing solidarity with Haokip’s family.

What happens next in Kangpokpi

To protest against the killing, the Committee on Tribal Unity has called for a total shutdown of Kangpokpi district from midnight on 5 October until midnight on 6 October.

All schools, government offices, and shops are expected to close, with exemptions only for medical emergencies and the media.

The killing threatens to further inflame ethnic tensions in Manipur, which has been gripped by violence since May 2023. While much of the conflict has pitted the majority Meitei community against the Kuki-Zo tribes, relations between Kuki and Naga communities have also deteriorated sharply in recent months. Retaliatory violence between the two groups since May 2026 has already claimed dozens of lives.