Innocent Kuki Christian killed in fake encounter in Manipur
Churachandpur: Indian forces killed a Kuki Christian villager in a joint operation in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, with police labeling him a “suspected militant” while locals rejected the claim and said the deceased was an innocent civilian.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the man was identified as Lenminsang Haokip, son of Lenkhogin Haokip, from Songkong village. Police described him as a militant killed during the operation on June 16. However, local politician Letzaman Haokip from Churachandpur assembly constituency, disputed the official version.
Speaking to the media, he said the victim was not a militant and questioned the circumstances of the killing.
The politician said Songkong is inhabited entirely by Kuki Christian and is located far away from any Hindu Meiteis or Naga-majority settlements. “I don’t know why this killing happened,” he said.
Haokip also pointed out that there was no exchange of fire or armed confrontation in the area before the killing, raising serious questions about the legality of the operation.
The incident mirrors a pattern seen in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where Indian forces routinely label slain civilians as militants to justify extrajudicial killings under cover of anti-militancy operations.
