Manipur violence: Militants kill Meitei man visiting Kuki wife; shooting caught on camera

A man was brutally shot dead on camera in the Churachandpur district of Manipur. The man, who reportedly belonged to the Meitei community, was captured by the suspected Kuki militant when he was visiting his wife, who belongs to the Kuki community.The video shows a man kneeling on his knees with his hands folded in the dark as flash light focuses on him, presumably asking to be spared. The video, which has no sound, later goes on to show the man being shot point-blank. It has "no peace, no popular government" captioned on it.According to the police, Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh was abducted from his home in the Tuibong area on Wednesday and later found shot dead near Natjang village.Singh belonged to Kakching Khunou in Kakching district. He was married to his Kuki wife Chingnu Haokip of Churachandpur, and had also assumed a tribal name, Ginminthang.He had been in Nepal for work and had returned to Churachandpur on January 19, news agency PTI reported.The couple was abducted by the militant group from their homes and was taken to the secluded space of Natjang in the Henglep police station area. Rishikant Singh was then shot dead, and his wife was later set free, the police said. His body was recovered by the authorities after they received a call.The kidnappers are suspected to be from the United Kuki National Army (UNKA).The militant group is not a signatory to the SoO agreement, a deal signed between the Centre, the Manipur government and dozens of Kuki-Zo militant groups. The agreement requires cadres to stay in designated camps, surrender weapons, and undergo biometric verification while restricting their activities.After the violence surged in Manipur, the two communities do not venture into each other's areas. However, the wife claimed that she had taken permission from the local groups for her husband to stay with her.Over 260 people have lost their lives since the violence broke out in May 2023, and thousands have been left homeless amid the violence.