Manipur Crisis: Two Abductees Found Dead; NIA To Probe Thawai Village Violence

IMPHAL, MANIPUR — The Manipur Legislative Assembly was informed on Thursday, March 12, 2026, of a grim escalation in regional violence after two civilians abducted on Wednesday were found dead. The announcement by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand came during the ongoing budget session, following a day of intense gunfire and retaliatory kidnappings along the Ukhrul-Imphal route.

The state government has officially decided to hand over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to uncover the conspiracy behind the fresh wave of ethnic and communal friction.

1. The Timeline of Violence

According to Home Minister K. Govindas, the cycle of violence began early Wednesday morning:

• The Initial Abduction: Two Kuki villagers were allegedly abducted by unidentified armed groups, sparking immediate tension in the Mapithel hill range.
• Heavy Exchange of Fire: A gunfight between two rival armed groups broke out between 6:30 AM and 9:00 AM on Wednesday near Thawai village. One civilian, 40-year-old Lalminthang Haokip, sustained a bullet injury during the crossfire.
• The Retaliation: In response to the initial abductions, members of the Kuki community allegedly intercepted and abducted 21 Tangkhul Naga civilians traveling along the Ukhrul-Imphal road near Shangkai village.

2. Casualties and Releases

While the retaliatory crisis saw a diplomatic resolution, it ended in tragedy for the initial abductions:

• Deceased Identified: The two men abducted on Wednesday were found dead on Thursday. They have been identified as Thengin Baite (Thawai Kuki village, Kamjong) and Thangboimang Khongsai (Shangkai, Ukhrul).
• Safe Release: Following high-level meetings between CM Khemchand and Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, as well as intervention by civil society organizations, the 21 Tangkhul Naga civilians were released safely and unconditionally on Thursday.

3. Legislative Accountability

The issue was brought to the floor via a calling attention motion by Congress MLA K. Meghachandra, who demanded clarity on the government’s failure to prevent the escalation.

• NIA Probe: CM Khemchand emphasized that the gravity of the “retaliatory” nature of these crimes requires a federal probe to prevent a larger ethnic flare-up between the Kuki and Naga communities.
• Security Measures: The Home Minister assured the House that additional forces have been deployed to the Mapithel range to stabilize the border areas between Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.

Manipur Incident Summary: March 11–12, 2026