'Devoted Soldier, Father': Kuki Ex-Army Man Crosses Manipur Buffer Zone, Killed

"I deserve to give him a proper burial at least," said Limkholal Mate's son Thangminlun.

A former havaldar in the mechanised infantry of the Assam Regiment, Limkholal Mate of Motbung Saron Veng village in Kangpokpi district knew the risks of going to Shantipur village in Kanglatongbi in Manipur's Imphal West district.

But his wife needed medicines – and his under-construction house needed hardware supplies. So, he left in his Scorpio for Shantipur, an area populated by Nepalis, around 5 pm on Sunday, 8 September.

His wife and children waited all evening for him to come back, but he didn't.

It was only the next morning that they came across a video viral on WhatsApp in which they saw Limkholal's body, his face and head brutally beaten and bruised, and surrounded by a bunch of people, including women. The body was found in the Phumlou area around Meitei-dominated Sekmai (also in Imphal West).

"In times of war, if someone has to be killed, they should be given a clean death," said 21-year-old Thangminlun Mate, son of Limkholal, whose face and head bore marks of a brutal assault.

Limkholal Mate had served the nation for 24 years. A look at his registration form for the ex-servicemen card shows that his character was described as 'exemplary'.

"He was a committed soldier and a committed father," Thangminlun added.

'I Deserve to Give Him a Proper Burial'

Shantipur is considered to be a neutral zone and is a stone throw's away from the Gamgiphai buffer zone. Those residing in Motbung village told The Quint that the distance between Motbung to Sekmai is around 5-7 kilometres.

It appears that Limkholal accidentally entered the above-mentioned buffer zone during his journey either to or from Shantipur, they claimed. From there, his son claimed in the FIR (of which The Quint has a copy), that he was "abducted by suspected Arambai Tenggol/Meitei militants" and "mercilessly killed in Phumlou area."

"I spoke with my father for the last time just before he went towards Sekmai. He said he had to go. The nearest safe zone we could go for these supplies is Guwahati which is a 10-hour car ride, so he had to go to Shantipur to save time and money."

Thangminlun Mate

The FIR has been filed at Gamnom Saparmeina Police Station in Kangpokpi district, dated 9 September, under Sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups), 140[1] (kidnapping/abduction in order to murder), 103[1] (murder) and 3[5] (common intention).

Limkholal is survived by his wife and his two children. His body has been taken to RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences) in the state capital Imphal for post-mortem.

The family is yet to receive his body. "My request is that the law enforcement agency concerned takes the moral responsibility of delivering the mortal remains of my father for his last rites. I deserve to give him a proper burial at least," Thangminlun lamented.

Escalation in Manipur

Limkholal's murder has occurred against the backdrop of a massive escalation in Manipur's ethnic conflict.

Less than a week after drone attacks rocked Imphal West, back-to-back rocket and bomb attacks hit Bishnupur district on Friday, 6 September. In the second attack, a 78-year-old Meitei man was allegedly killed in the Moirang Bazar area of the district.

Almost 24 hours later, six people were allegedly killed in gun violence during the early hours of Saturday, 7 September in Jiribam, a district on Manipur's border with Assam, in what appeared to be a retaliatory attack.

Meanwhile, Imphal has witnessed protests and marches, including those led by students, since Sunday night, demanding an end to the constant state of violence.

Kuki-Zo-dominated areas have also seen demonstrations against the proposed removal of the 9 and 22 Battalions of Assam Rifles from the conflict zones of Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts.

This is a developing story. More updates will be added as soon as there is new information from Manipur Police.

For more than a year, Manipur has been torn apart by ethnic violence. Hundreds have died, and thousands have been displaced, with their future still uncertain. The Quint has been relentlessly reporting on the conflict in pursuit of facts, untold stories, and the truth. Apart from the risks involved in reporting from a conflict-ridden area, such reports require both time and resources. YOUR support helps us in our endeavour.